BANCROFT 
LIBRARY 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 


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RISE,  PROGRESS  AND  TRAVELS 


OHUECH  OF  JESUS  CHRIST  OF  LATTER-DAY  SAINTS, 


BEINCt 


A   SERIES     OF 


ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS, 


INCLUDING 


«r 


THE  REVELATION  ON  CELESTIAL  MARRIAGE, 


AND 


A  BRIEF  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  SETTLEMENT  OF  SALT  LAKE  VALLEY, 
WITH  INTERESTING  STATISTICS, 

BY  PRESIDENT  GEORGE  A.  SMITH, 


CHURCH  HISTORIAN,  ETC. 


PiUNTED  AT  THE 
DESEKET    NKWS    OFFICE,    SALT    LAKE    CITY 

1869. 


H 


RISE,  PROGRESS  AND  TRAVELS 


OF  THE 


CHURCH  OF  JESUS  CHRIST  OF  LATTER-DAY  SAINTS, 


BEIN» 


A    SERIES    OF 


ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS, 


INCLUDING 


THE  REVELATION  ON  CELESTIAL  MARRIAGE, 


AND 


A  Brief  Account  of  the  Settlement  of  Salt  Lake  Valley,  with  Interesting  Statistics, 

BY  PRESIDENT  GEORGE  A.  .SMITH, 

CHURCH  HISTORIAN,  ETC. 


PRINTED  AT  THE 
»ESERET    NEWS   OFFICE,    SALT    LAKE    CITY! 

1869. 


IFIR/IEIF'.A.aiE. 


As  President  Brigham  Young  and  the  Church  authorities  are  frequently 
called  upon  for  information  pertaining  to  the  Church  history,  also  the 
history  and  settlement  of  these  valleys  of  the  mountains,  with  the  educa- 
tional, agricultural,  horticultural,  and  irrigation  statistics  pertaining 
thereto,  &c.,  it  has  been  deemed  wisdom  to  write  and  collate  such  items 
as  would  satisfactorily  answer  the  generality  of  questions  propounded  ; 
hence,  the  publication  of  this  pamphlet  has  been  undertaken,  with  the 
sincere  hope  that  all  honest  inquirers  after  the  truth  of  the  Latter-day 
Work  and  the  material  development  of  the  resources  of  these  mountains 
may  be  refreshed  and  gratified  by  the  perusal  thereof. 

HISTORIAN'S  OFFICE, 

Salt  Lake  City,  July,  1869. 


ANSWERS    TO   QUESTIONS 

CONCERNING  THE 

RISE,  PROQRESS  AND  TRAVELS 

OF  THE 

CHURCH  OF  JESUS  CHRIST  OF  LATTER-DAY  SAINTS. 


IN  THE  Spring  of  1844,  Joseph  Smith,  President  of  the  Church  of 
Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints,  who  was  then  living  at  Nauvoo,Han- 
cock  county,  Illinois,  selected  a  company  of  men  to  explore  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  with  a  view  to  find  a  place  where  the  Saints  could  locate  and 
enjoy  an  immunity  from  that  religious  persecution  which  had  followed 
the  Church  in  the  States  of  New  York,  Ohio,  Missouri  and  Illinois. 
President  Smith  at  that  time  expressed  his  determination  to  explore  the 
mountain  valleys,  and  prophesied  that  within  five  years  the  Saints  would 
be  located  in  the  Rocky  Mountains  beyond  the  influence  of  mobs,  request- 
ing it  to  be  recorded,  that  when  it  came  to  pass  it  might  be  remembered. 

While  this  company  were  making  preparations  for  their  journey  a  mob 
assembled  at  Carthage,  the  county  seat  of  Hancock,  to  menace  the  Saints. 
Disappointed  political  demagogues,  writhing  under  the  sting  of  defeat, 
and  apostates,  who  had  been  expelled  the  Church  because  of  their  iniquity, 
combined  at  this  juncture  to  fan  the  flame  of  excitement  and  persecution r 
insomuch  that  the  Governor  of  the  State,  Thomas  Ford,  deemed  it  advisa- 
ble to  visit  Hancock  county.  When  Joseph  Smith,  the  Prophet,  learned 
that  the  Governor  had  called  out  the  militia  at  Carthage,  who  composed 
the  mob  previously  collected  there,  and  had  made  a  requisition  for  addi- 
tional forces  from  Warsaw,  where  resided  many  of  the  most  bitter  enemies 
of  the  Saints,  he  was  apprehensive  that  it  was  their  intention  to  murder 
instead  of  try  him,  (having  already  been  about  fifty  times  before  judicial 
tribunals,  and  invariably  acquitted)  he  hesitated  to  answer  the  process  of 
law;  until  the  Governor  plighted  the  faith  of  the  State  that  he  should  be 
protected  and  have  a  fair  trial.  When  Governor  Ford  made  the  pledge, 
Joseph,  with  his  brother  Hyrum,  proceeded  to  Carthage,  where  they  sur- 
rendered themselves  prisoners  to  the  constable  who  held  the  writ  for  them. 
They  voluntarily  entered  into  recognizances  before  the  Justice  of  the  Peace 
for  their  appearance  at  court  to  answer  the  charge;  whereupon,  a  new  writ 
was  issued  against  them  on  the  affidavit  of  two  dissolute  men,  charging 
them  with  treason,  and  they  were  immediately  thrust  into  jail,  Elders 
Willard  Richards  and  John  Taylor  being  permitted  to  accompany  them. 


6  ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS. 


Governor  Ford  then  disbanded  all  his  troops  except  the  "Carthage 
Greys,"  who  were  known  to  possess  the  most  violent  feelings  of  hatred 
against  Joseph  and  Hyrum  Smith,  and  after  holding  a  private  council 
on  the  subject,  he  left  them  to  their  fate. 

MASSACRE  OF  JOSEPH  AND   HYRUM  SMITH. 

On  the  27th  of  June,  1844,  about  150  men,  with  their  faces  blackened, 
surrounded  the  prison  and  deliberately  murdered  Joseph  and  Hyrum 
Smith,  leaving  Elder  John  Taylor  severely  wounded  with  four  balls, 
Elder  Willard  Richards,  who  was  in  the  same  room,  escaped  unhurt. 

At  the  fall  term  of  court,  bills  of  indictment  for  murder  in  the  first  de- 
gree, were  found  against  the  principal  leaders  in  the  massacre;  but  they 
were  allowed  to  go  at  large  on  bail  and  to  become  each  other's  security, 
the  sum  required  being  only  one  thousand  dollars. 

In  May,  1845,  they  had  a  sham  trial  and  were  acquitted,  although  the 
most  of  the  members  of  the  court,  bar,  jury  and  witnesses  knew  them  to 
be  guilty  of  the  murder. 

The  Twelve  Apostles,  being  the  first  quorum  remaining  in  the  Church, 
immediately  returned  from  their  missions  abroad,  and  by  the  unanimous 
voice  of  the  Saints  took  their  position  at  the  head  of  affairs  in  Nauvoo, 
Brigham  Young,  President  of  the  Twelve  Apostles,  presiding.  A  revela- 
tion had  been  given  through  Joseph  Smith  in  1841,  commanding  the 
Saints  to  build  a  Temple  in  which  to  administer  the  ordinances  of  the 
gospel;  also  to  build  a  house  to  be  called  "The  Nauvoo  House,"  for  the 
entertainment  of  strangers,  and  a  sufficient  time  was  granted  for  the  com- 
pletion of  this  work  which  would  be  acceptable  only  in  the  day  of  their 
poverty,  in  order  that  they  might  prove  themselves  faithful  in  all  things 
that  they  were  commanded;  nevertheless  the  Lord  said: 

"  Verily,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  that  when  I  give  a  commandment  to  any  of 
the  sons  of  men  to  do  a  work  unto  my  name,  and  those  sons  of  men  go  with 
all  their  might  and  with  all  they  have  to  perform  that  work,  and  cease  not  their 
diligence,  and  their  enemies  come  upon  them  and  hinder  them  from  performing 
that  work,  behold  it  behooveth  me  to  require  that  work  no  more  at  the  hands 
of  those  sons  of  men,  but  to  accept  of  their  offerings,  and  the  iniquity  and 
transgression  of  my  holy  laws  and  commandments  I  will  visit  upon  the  heads 
of  those  who  hindered  my  work,  unto  the  third  and  fourth  generation,  so  long 
as  they  repent  not,  and  hate  me,  saith  the  Lord  God.  Therefore,  for  this  cause 
have  I  accepted  the  offerings  of  those  whom  I  commanded  to  build  up  a  city  and  a 
house  unto  my  name,  in  Jackson  County,  Missouri,  and  were  hindered  by  their 
enemies,  saith  the  Lord  your  God;  and  I  will  answer  judgment,  wrath  and 
indignation,  wailing  and  anguish,  and  gnashing  of  teeth  upon  their  heads  unto 
the  third  and  fourth  generation,  so  long  as  they  repent  not  and  hate  me,  saith 
the  Lord  your  God. 

"  And  this  I  make  an  example  unto  you,  for  your  consolation,  concerning  all 
those  who  have  been  commanded  to  do  a  work  and  have  been  hindered  by  the 
hands  of  their  enemies  and  by  oppression,  saith  the  Lord  your  God;  for  I  am 
the  Lord  your  God,  and  will  save  all  those  of  your  brethren  who  have  been 
pure  in  heart  and  have  been  slain  in  the  land  of  Missouri,  saith  the  Lord." 

In  view  of  fulfilling  this  Revelation,  the  Twelve  pushed  forward  the 
building  of  the  Temple,  which  at  the  time  of  the  Prophet's  death  was  about 
one  half  story  above  the  basement.  This  magnificent  work  was  vigorously 
prosecuted  to  its  completion  in  the  face  of  relentless  persecution,  and  amid 


ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS. 


obstacles  of  the  most  difficult  and  trying  kind.  A  Seventies'  Hall,  a 
Music  Hall  and  an  Arsenal  were  also  built,  the  Nauvoo  House  was 
recommenced  and  the  brick  work  of  the  first  story  completed;  when  the 
mob,  coming  to  the  conclusion  that  the  murder  of  the  Prophets  had  not 
destroyed  the  progress  of  the  work  of  the  Lord,  commenced,  on  the  13th 
of  September,  1845^  burning  houses  in  the  south-west  portion  [of  Han- 
cock county,  whereupon  the  sheriff  issued  the  following 

PROCLAMATION 
To  THE  CITIZENS  OF  HANCOCK  COUNTY: 

Whereas,  a  mob  of  from  one  to  two  hundred  men,  under  arms,  have  gathered 
themselves  together  in  the  south-west  part  of  Hancock  county,  and  are  at  this 
time  destroying  the  dwellings  and  other  buildings,  stacks  of  grain  and  other 
property,  of  a  portion  of  our  citizens,  in  the  most  inhuman  manner,  com- 
pelling defenceless  children  and  women  to  leave  their  sick  beds,  and  ex- 
posing them  to  the  rays  of  the  parching  sun,  there  to  lie  and  suffer  without 
the  aid  or  assistance  of  a  friendly  hand  to  minister  to  their  wants,  in  their 
suffering  condition. 

The  rioters  spare  not  the  widow  nor  orphan,  and  while  I  am  writing  this 
proclamation,  the  smoke  is  rising  to  the  clouds  and  the  flames  are  devouring 
four  buildings  which  have  just  been  set  on  fire  by  the  rioters.  Thousands  of 
dollars'  worth  of  property  has  already  been  consumed,  an  entire  settlement  of 
about  sixty  or  seventy  families  laid  waste,  the  inhabitants  thereof  are  fired 
upon,  narrowly  escaping  with  their  lives,  and  forced  to  flee  before  the  ravages 
of  the  mob. 

By  the  revised  laws  of  our  State  under  the  Criminal  Code,  sixth  division,  58 
section,  page  181,  the  crime  of  Arson  is  defined  as  follows:  "  Every  person  who 
'shall  wilfully  and  maliciously  burn,  or  cause  to  be  burned,  any  dwelling 

*  house,  kitchen,  office,  shop,  barn,  stable,  store-house,  etc.,  etc.,  shall  be  deemed 
'  guilty  of  arson,  and  upon  conviction  thereof,  shall  be  punished  by  imprison- 
4ment  in  the  penitentiary  for  a  term    not  less  than  one  year,  nor  more  than 

ten  years,  and  should  the  life  or  lives  of  any  person  or  persons  be  lost  in 

*  consequence  of  any  such  offense  aforesaid,  such  offender  shall  be  guilty  of 
'murder,  and  shall  be  indicted  and  punished  accordingly." 

And  whereas,  the  laws  of  this  State  make  it  my  duty,  as  a  peace  officer  of  this 
county,  to  suppress  all  riots,  routs,  etc.,  etc.,  and  all  other  crimes, 

Therefore,  I,  J.  B.  Backenstos,  Sheriff  of  the  County  of  Hancock,  and  State  of 
Illinois,  in  the  name  of  the  People  of  said  State,  and  by  the  authority  vested  in 
me  by  virtue  of  my  office,  hereby  solemnly  command  the  said  rioters  and 
other  peace  breakers  to  desist  forthwith,  disperse,  and  go  to  their  homes,  under 
penalty  of  the  laws ;  And  I  hereby  call  upon  the  law-abiding  citizens,  as  a 
posse  comitatus  of  Hancock  county,  to  give  their  united  aid  in  suppressing  the 
rioters  and  maintain  the  supremacy  of  the  law. 

J.  B.  BACKENSTOS,  Sheriff  of  Hancock  County,  Illinois. 

P.  S.— It  is  a  part  of  my  policy,  that  the  citizens  of  Nauvoo  remain  quiet  and 
not  a  man  from  that  city  leave  as  a  posse  until  it  be  made  manifest  that  the  law 
and  order  citizens  without  the  city  will  not  have  force  sufficient  to  suppress 
the  rioters  of  this  disgraceful  outrage,  but  that  2,000  effective  men  hold  them- 
selves in  readiness  to  march  at  a  moment's  warning  to  any  point  in  Hancock 
Countv. 

J.  B.  B.,  Sheriff. 

Green  Plains,  Hancock  County,  Ills.,  Sept.  13th,  1845. 

To  this  proclamation  no  attention  whatever  was  paid  except  by  the 
mob,  who  used  it  as  a  justification  for  trying  to  kill  the  Sheriff,  although 
he  was  not  a  "Mormon"  and  was  only  acting  in  the  discharge  of  his 
official  duty.  In  the  attempt,  however,  to  kill  the  Sheriff,  one  of  the  mob 
was  killed. 

Subsequently  another  proclamation  was  issued  calling  upon  the  "Mor- 
mon" people  of  the  county  as  well  as  all  other  law-abiding  citizens  to  arm 


ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS. 


themselves,  and  be  in  readiness  to  act  at  a  moment's  notice  in  the  defence 
of  the  lives  and  property  of  peaceful  citizens  and  to  suppress  mob  violence 
throughout  the  county.  The  leaders  of  the  mob  then  fled  the  county  to 
avoid  being  arrested,  upon  which  Governor  Thomas  Ford  sent  Gen.  John 
J.  Harding,  with  400  militia,  to  Nauvoo,  who  dismissed  the  Sheriff's 
posse,  but  made  no  attempt  to  arrest  the  house  burners.  Gen.  Harding 
informed  the  Latter-day  Saints  in  Hancock  county  thUt  "the  State  could 
not  protect  them,  the  mob  were  determined  to  drive  them  from  the  State, 
and  they  must  therefore  go."  Previous  to  this,  a  council  of  the  authorities 
of  the  Church  had  passed  a  resolution  which,  as  a  matter  of  policy,  was 
kept  private,  to  send  one  thousand  five  hundred  men  as  pioneers  to  make 
a  settlement  in  the  valley  of  the  Great  Salt  Lake,  being  determined,  in 
accordance  with  the  design  and  policy  of  Joseph  Smith  the  Prophet,  to 
leave  Illinois. 

Meantime  a  proposition  was  made  to  the  mob  (the  State  authorities  say- 
ing they  were  powerless)  to  cease  vexatious  law-suits,  stop  burning  and 
plundering,  and  aid  the  "Mormon"  people  by  purchasing  their  property 
on  fair  terms,  allowing  them  a  reasonable  time,  and  they  would  remove 
from  the  State.  This  proposition  was  accepted,  and  in  accordance  there- 
with companies  were  immediately  formed,  the  construction  of  several 
thousand  wagons  was  commenced,  and  during  the  winter  of  1845-46  and 
the  ensuing  spring  they  were  built,  principally  of  green  timber,  which 
was  boiled  in  brine  to  facilitate  its  seasoning.  All  the  iron  that  could  be 
procured  was  used  in  their  construction,  and  the  deficiency  was  made  up 
with  raw-hides,  hickory  withes,  &c.  Nearly  all  the  old  wagons  in  the 
surrounding  country  were  purchased,  and  all  possible  preparations  were 
made  by  many  for  an  early  start  in  the  spring;  but  the  persecution  being 
renewed,  in  violation  of  the  before  named  pledge,  one  thousand  families 
commenced  their  journey  in  the  month  of  February,  1846,  some  crossing 
the  Mississippi  on  the  ice,  thinking  by  so  doing  to  allay  the  excitement 
against  those  who  remained. 

President  Young,  and  the  leaders  of  the  Church,  with  a  scanty  outfit, 
pursued  their  journey  westward,  having  to  make  the  road  for  about  three 
hundred  miles  through  an  unsettled  country,  bridging  numerous  streams 
and  encountering  nearly  every  vicissitude  of  weather,  making  a  settlement 
called  Garden  Grove  on  the  east  fork,  and  one  called  Pisgah  on  the  west 
fork,  of  Grand  river,  in  the  State  of  Iowa,  breaking  and  planting  a 
thousand  acres  of  prairie  land  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  were  not  able 
to  go  farther,  as  well  as  those  who  were  coming  after. 

MORMON    BATTALION. 

The  advanced  companies  arrived  at  Council  Bluffs  in  July,  where  they 
were  met  by  Capt.  James  Allen  of  the  U.  S.  army,  who  called  upon  them, 
in  behalf  of  the  War  Department,  for  five  hundred  men  to  assist  in  the 
war  with  Mexico.  Prest.  Young's  reply  to  this  requisition  was,  "You 
shall  have  your  battalion,  if  it  has  to  be  composed  of  our  Elders." 

The  required  battalion  was  soon  made  up  and  on  the  way,  leaving  their 
families  in  the  Omaha  country  on  the  west  side  of  the  Missouri  river  in 


ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS. 


wagons,  without  protectors  or  adequate  means  of  subsistence.  Thus  was 
this  body  of  volunteers  enlisted  from  the  camp  of  the  Latter-day  Saints 
just  after  their  expulsion  from  Illinois. 

There  were  about  two  thousand  wagons  encamped  in  Western  Iowa, 
between  the  east  fork  of  Grand  river  and  the  Missouri  river,  a  distance  of 
about  one  hundred  and  thirty  miles;  but  the  main  body  of  the  camp  was 
in  the  Omaha  country,  on  the  west  side  of  the  Missouri. 

The  five  companies  of  volunteers  assembled  at  Council  Bluffs  and  were 
mustered  into  service  on  the  16th  of  July,  1846;  they  numbered  upwards  of 
five  hundred  men.  They  marched  to  Fort  Leavenworth,  where  they  re- 
ceived their  muskets  and  other  accoutrements  of  United  States  infantry. 

On  the  13th  of  August  they  started  for  California,  via  Santa  Fe,  each 
soldier  carrying  his  musket,  his  blanket,  knapsack,  ammunition  and 
canteen. 

Lieut.  Col.  Allen,  who  remained  behind  the  battalion  at  Fort  Leaven- 
worth  to  complete  his  outfit,  died  suddenly;  his  loss  was  deeply  mourned 
by  the  battalion,  who  were  sincerely  attached  to  him.  On  their  march 
they  suffered  much  for  want  of  water  and  provisions;  in  one  instance, 
they  traveled  sixty  miles  without  water.  They  arrived  at  Santa  Fe,  Sept. 
12th,  where  Lieut.  Col.  P.  St.  George  Cooke,  who  had  been  appointed  by 
Gen.  Kearney,  took  command  of  the  battalion  in  the  place  of  Col.  Allen, 
deceased,  and  who,  before  marching  for  California,  selected  out  all  the 
laundresses,  and  those  who,  on  a  rigid  examination,  were  supposed  to  be 
unable  to  continue  the  march,  and  placed  them  under  the  command  of 
Capt.  James  Brown,  who  started  on  the  18th,  with  orders  to  make  a  post 
at  Pueblo  on  the  Arkansas  river,  which  was  accordingly  done.  Col.  Cooke, 
with  the  battalion,  proceeded  to  California.  To  avoid  the  snows  of  the 
Kocky  Mountains,  the  battalion  followed  the  Rio  Del  Norte  south  for 
three  hundred  miles,  then  turning  west,  passed  through  the  fortified  town 
of  Tucson;  after  which  their  guides  were  unacquainted  with  the  route, 
and  it  had  to  be  sought  out  like  men  traveling  in  the  dark. 

On  leaving  Santa  Fe  they  were  placed  on  three-quarter  rations,  and 
were  soon  after  reduced  to  one-half  and  subsequently  to  one-quarter 
rations;  their  meat  was  composed  of  the  remains  of  such  draft  animals  as 
were  unable  to  proceed  further.  On  one  occasion,  however,  they  were  re- 
lieved by  a  very  romantic  and  providential  encounter  with  a  herd  of  wild 
bulls.  They  traveled  one  hundred  miles  without  water;  sank  deep  wells 
in  the  desert,  and  arrived  on  the  Pacific  coast  with  but  little  loss.  The 
Colonel  issued  the  following  complimentary  order  on  their  arrival: 

"  HEADQUARTERS,  Mission  of  San  Diego,  Jan.  30th,  1847. 
ORDER  No.  1. 

The  Lieut.  Colonel  com  man  ling  congratulates  the  Battalion  on  its  safe 
arrival  on  the  shores  of  the  Pacific  Ocean,  and  the  conclusion  of  its  march  of 
over  two  thousand  miles.  History  may  be  searched  in  vain  for  an  equal  march 
of  infantry;  nine-tenths  of  it  through  a  wilderness,  where  nothing  but 
savages  and  wild  beasts  are  found;  or  deserts  where,  for  the  want  of  water, 
there  is  no  living  creature.  There,  with  almost  hopeless  labor,  we  have  dug  deep 
wells,  which  the  future  traveler  will  enjoy.  Without  a  guide  who  had  traversed 
them,  we  have  ventured  into  trackless  prairies,  where  water  Avas  not  found  for 


10  ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS. 


several  marches.  With  crowbar  and  pick-axe  in  hand,  we  have  worked  our 
way  over  mountains,  which  seemed  to  defy  aught  save  the  wild  goat,  and 
hewed  a  passage  through  a  chasm  of  living  rock,  more  narrow  than  our 
wagons.  To  bring  these  first  wagons  to  the  Pacific,  we  have  preserved  the 
strength  of  the  mules  by  herding  them  over  large  tracts,  which  you  have 
laboriously  guarded  without  loss. 

The  garrison  of  four  Presidios  of  Sonora,  concentrated  within  the  walls  of 
Tucson,  gave  us  no  pause;  we  drove  them  out  with  their  artillery;  but  our 
intercourse  with  the  citizens  was  unmarked  by  a  single  act  of  injustice.  Thus 
marching,  half  naked  and  half  fed,  and  living  upon  wild  animals,  we  have 
discovered  and  made  a  road  of  great  value  to  our  country. 

Arrived  at  the  first  settlement  of  California,  after  a  single  day's  rest,  you 
cheerfully  turned  off  from  the  route  to  this  point  of  promised  repose,  to  enter 
upon  a  campaign,  and  meet,  as  we  believed,  the  approach  of  the  enemy;  and 
this,  too,  without  even  salt  to  season  your  sole  subsistence  of  fresh  meat. 

Lieutenants  A.  J.  Smith  and  George  Stoneman,  of  the  1st  Dragoons,  have 
shared  and  given  valuable  aid  in  all  these  labors. 

Thus,  volunteers,  you  have  exhibited  some  high  and  essential  qualities  of 
veterans.  But  much  remains  undone.  Soon  you  will  turn  your  strict  atten- 
tion to  the  drill,  to  system  and  order,  to  forms  also,  which  are  all  necessary  to 
the  soldier. 

By  order  of  Lieut.  Col.  P.  ST.  GEORGE  COOKE, 

(Signed)  P.  C.  MERRILL,  Adjt." 

The  distance  from  Council  Bluffs,  the  place  of  enlistment,  to  Fort  Leav- 
en worth  is  about  180  miles;  from  Fort  Leavenworth,  by  the  Cimmeron 
route,  to  Santa  Fe,  700  miles;  from  Santa  Fe,  by  the  route  traveled  to  San 
Diego,  1150  miles,  making  a  total  of  2030  miles.  Almost  the  entire  march 
being  over  an  uninhabited  region,  and  much  of  the  way  a  trackless,  un- 
explored and  forbidding  desert,  affording  neither  water  nor  grass  suffi- 
cient for  animals,  and,  when  the  teams  failed,  the  battalion  had  to  carry 
the  extra  amount  of  ammunition  and,  at  the  same  time,  push  the  wagons 
through  the  heavy  sand  and  over  the  rugged  mountains. 

A  fruitful  source  of  annoyance  to  the  battalion  was  the  lack  of  confidence 
in  the  United  States  Surgeon,  Dr.  Sanderson,  who  was  known  formerly  to 
have  been  a  bitter  persecutor  of  the  Latter-day  Saints,  and  whose  expres- 
sions and  actions  confirmed  the  suspicions  that  it  was  his  wish  to  destroy 
them;  the  refusal  of  many  of  them  to  take  his  prescriptions  produced  very 
unpleasant  and  angry  feelings. 

The  battalion  was  discharged  at  Los  Angeles,  one  year  from  the  date 
of  their  enlistment,  without  means  to  enable  them  to  return  to  their  fam- 
ilies. At  the  request  of  the  military  commander  in  California,  who  feared 
a  Spanish  revolt,  one  company  re-enlisted  for  six  months,  which  service 
was  performed  in  a  highly  satisfactory  manner,  both  to  the  officers  and  the 
people  of  San  Diego  where  they  were  stationed. 

WINTER  QUARTERS. 

After  the  departure  of  the  battalion  from  Council  Bluffs,  Prest.  Young 
gathered  up  the  scattering  companies  and  established  a  town  called  Win- 
ter Quarters,  where  700  log  cabins  and  150  dug-outs  (cabins  half  under 
ground)  were  built  during  the  Fall  and  Winter,  upon  the  site  of  what  is 
now  known  as  Florence,  Nebraska.  At  this  point  the  Saints  suffered  ex- 
tremely from  sickness,  exposure  and  the  want  of  the  necessaries  of  life. 
Several  thousand  wagons  were  also  encamped  in  various  localities  on  the 


ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS.  11 


east  side  of  the  Missouri  river,  where  the  Saints  began  to  build  up  a  place, 
subsequently  named  Kanesville,  hi  honor  of  Thomas  L.  Kane,  of  Phila- 
delphia, whose  kindness  had  endeared  him  to  them. 

EXPULSION   FROM   NAUVOO. 

When  it  became  known  in  Illinois  that  the  flower  of  the  camp  had  en- 
listed into  the  service  of  the  United  States,  the  mob  assembled  with 
redoubled  fury,  formed  a  military  encampment,  provided  with  artillery, 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Nauvoo,  which  now  contained  the  poor,  the  help- 
less, the  sick  and  infirm,  as  all  who  were  able  to  leave,  on  any  terms,  had 
done  so  during  the  Spring  and  Summer. 

The  mob,  under  command  of  Rev.  Thomas  S.  Brockman,  increased 
their  force  to  about  1800,  made  several  unsuccessful  attacks  upon  the 
city,  (which  could  barely  muster  123  men)  killing  three  men  and  wounding 
a  number  of  others  and  battering  down  many  buildings.  They  finally 
succeeded,  on  the  17th  day  of  September,  after  several  days'  siege  and 
three  days'  bombardment,  in  driving  the  people,  helpless  and  destitute  of 
everything  that  could  make  life  desirable,  across  the  river  into  Iowa. 
Here  many  must  have  perished  from  starvation  had  not  the  kind  Creator 
fed  them  by  sending  upon  their  camps  flocks  of  quails  so  tame  that  the 
Women  caught  them  with  their  hands.  In  this  place  they  lay  exposed  to 
the  storms  of  autumn  right  in  view  of  a  thousand  empty  houses  belong- 
ing to  themselves  and  friends,  until  teams  were  sent  back  from  the  camps 
to  remove  the  survivors,  many  having  died.  To  crown  their  victory,  the 
mob  subsequently  set  fire  to  the  Temple  of  Nauvoo,  which  was  the  most 
beautiful  building  in  the  Western  States.  It  was  the  first  specimen  of  a 
new  order  of  architecture,  introduced  by  President  Joseph  Smith,  and 
had  cost  a  million  dollars.  The  light  of  its  fire  was  visible  for  thirty  miles. 

Very  little  real  estate  had  been  sold,  though  the  improvements,  property 
and  buildings  of  the  Saints  in  Illinois  were  among  the  best  in  the  Western 
States.  Such  a  vast  amount  of  property  exposed  for  sale  in  Hancock  and 
the  adjoining  counties  had  a  tendency  to  glut  the  market,  which,  together 
with  the  hostile  influence  of  our  enemies,  prevented  sales  even  at  low 
rates.  Fortunately  oxen  were  cheap,  and  companies  continued  leaving 
till  late  in  the  summer,  making  the  new  route  a  grand  encampment  for 
300  miles,  as  wagons  were  to  be  seen  at  every  watering  place. 

For  a  more  full  description  of  these  scenes,  the  following  extract  is 
copied  from  the  historical  address  of  Colonel  (now  General)  Thomas  L. 
Kane,  who  was  an  eye-witness : 

"  A  few  years  ago,"  said  Colonel  Kane,  "ascending  the  Upper  Mississippi 
in  the  autumn,  when  its  waters  were  low,  I  was  compelled  to  travel  by  land 
past  the  region  of  the  Rapids.  My  road  lay  through  the  Half-Breed  Tract,  a 
fine  section  of  Iowa,  which  the  unsettled  state  of  its  land-titles  had  appropriated 
as  a  sanctuary  ior  coiners,  horse  thieves,  and  other  outlaws.  I  had  left  my 
steamer  at  Keokuk,  at  the  foot  of  the  Lower  Fall,  to  hire  a  carriage,  and  to 
contend  for  some  fragments  of  a  dirty  meal  with  the  swarming  flies,  the  only 
scavengers  of  the  locality. 

"From  this  place  to  where  the  deep  water  of  the  river  returns,  my  eye 
wearied  to  see  everywhere  sordid,  vagabond  and  idle  settlers ;  and  a  country 
marred,  without  being  improve,!,  by  their  careless  hands.  I  was  descending 


12  ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS. 


the  last  hill-side  upon  my  journey,  when  a  landscape  in  delightful  contrast 
broke  upon  my  view.  Half  encircled  by  a  bend  of  the  river,  a  beautiful  city 
lay  glittering  in  the  fresh  morning  sun ;  its  bright  new  dwellings,  set  in  cool 
green  gardens,  ranging  up  around  a  stately  dome-shaped  hill,  which  was 
crowned  by  a  noble  editice,  whose  high  tapering  spire  was  radiant  with  white 
and  gold.  The  city  appeared  to  cover  several  miles ;  and  beyond  it,  in  the 
back-ground,  there  rolled  off  a  fair  country,  chequered  by  the  careful  lines  of 
fruitful  husbandry.  The  unmistakeable  marks  of  industry,  enterprise,  and 
educated  wealth  everywhere,  made  the  scene  one  of  singular  and  most  striking 
beauty.  It  was  a  natural  impulse  to  visit  this  inviting  region.  I  procured  a 
skiff,  and  rowing  across  the  river,  landed  at  the  chief  wharf  of  the  city.  No  one 
met  me  there.  I  looked,  and  saw  no  one.  I  could  hear  no  one  move ;  though 
the  quiet  everywhere  was  such  that  I  heard  the  flies  buzz,  and  the  water-ripples 
break  against  the  shallow  of  the  beach.  I  walked  through  the  solitary  streets. 
The  town  lay  as  in  a  dream,  under  some  deadening  spell  of  loneliness,  from 
which  I  almost  feared  to  wake  it ;  for  plainly  it  had  not  slept  long.  There  wa» 
no  grass  growing  up  in  the  paved  ways ;  rains  had  not  entirely  washed  away 
the  prints  of  dusty  footsteps. 

"  Yet  I  went  about  unchecked.  I  went  into  empty  workshops,  rope- walks 
and  smithies.  The  spinner's  wheel  was  idle ;  the  carpenter  had  gone  from  his 
work-bench  and  shavings,  his  unfinished  sash  and  casing.  Fresh  bark  was  in 
the  tanner's  vat,  and  the  fresh-chopped  light  wood  stood  piled  against  the 
baker's  oven.  The  blacksmith's  shop  was  cold ;  but  his  coal  heap,  and  ladling 
pool,  and  crooked  water  horn,  were  all  there,  as  if  he  had  just  gone  off  for  a 
holiday.  No  work-people  anywhere  looked  to  know  my  errand. 

"If  I  went  into  the  gardens,  clinking  the  wicket-latch  loudly  after  me,  to 
pull  the  marygolds,  heartsease,  and  lady-slippers,  and  draw  a  drink  with  the 
water-sodden  well-bucket  and  its  noisy  chain  ;  or,  knocking  off  with  my  stick 
the  tall,  heavy-headed  dahlias  and  sunflowers,  hunted  over  the  beds  for 
cucumbers  and  love-apples — no  one  called  out  to  me  from  any  opened  window, 
or  dog  sprang  forward  to  bark  an  alarm. 

"I  could  have  supposed  the  people  hidden  in  the  houses,  but  the  doors  were 
unfastened  ;  and  when  at  last  I  timidly  entered  them,  I  found  dead  ashes  white 
upon  the  hearths,  and  had  to  tread  a-tiptoe,  as  if  walking  down  the  aisle  of  a 
country  church,  to  avoid  arousing  irreverent  echoes  from  the  naked  floors.  On 
the  outskirts  of  the  town  was  the  city  graveyard ;  but  there  was  no  record  of 
plague  there,  nor  did  it  in  anywise  differ  much  from  other  Protestant  American 
cemeteries.  S-  me  of  the  mounds  were  not  long  sodded ;  some  of  the  stones 
were  newly  set,  their  dates  recent,  and  their  black  inscriptions  glossy  in  the 
mason's  hardly  dried  lettering  ink.  Beyond  the  graveyard,  out  in  the  fields,  I 
saw,  in  one  spot  hard  by  where  the  fruited  boughs  of  a  young  orchard  had  been 
roughly  torn  down,  the  still  smouldering  embers  of  a  barbecue  fire,  that  had 
been  constructed  of  rails  from  the  fencing  around  it.  It  was  the  latest  sign  of 
lite  there.  Fields  upon  fields  of  heavy-headed  yellow  grain  lay  rotting 
ungathered  upon  the  ground.  No  one  was  at  hand  to  take  in  their  rich  harvest, 

"As  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  they  stretched  away— they,  sleeping  too  in  the 
hazy  air.  of  autumn.  Only  two  portions  of  the  city  seemed  to  suggest  the 
import  of  this  mysterious  solitude.  On  the  southern  suburb,  the  houses  looking 
out  upon  the  country  showed,  by  their  splintered  woodwork  and  walls  battered 
to  the  foundation,  that  they  had  lately  been  the  mark  of  a  destructive  cannon- 
ade. And  in  and  around  the  splendid  Temple,  which  had  been  the  chief  object 
of  my  admiration,  armed  iren  were  barracked,  surrounded  by  their  stacks  of 
musketry  and  pieces  of  heavy  ordnance.  These  challenged  me  to  render  an 
account  of  myself  and  why  I  had  had  the  temerity  to  cross  the  water  without 
a  written  permit  from  a  leader  of  their  band. 

"Though  these  men  were  generally  more  or  less  under  the  influence  of 
ardent  spirits,  after  I  had  explained  myself  as  a  passing  stranger,  they  seemed 
anxious  to  gain  my  good  opinion.  They  told  the  story  of  the  Dead  City  ;  that 
it  had  been  a  notable  manufacturing  and  commercial  mart,  sheltering  over 
20,000  persons  ;  that  they  had  waged  war  with  its  inhabitants  for  several  years, 
and  had  been  finally  successful  only  a  few  days  before  my  visit,  in  an  action 
fought  in  front  of  the  ruined  suburb ;  after  which,  they  had  driven  them  forth 
at  the  point  of  the  sword.  The  defence,  they  said,  had  been  obstinate,  but 
gave  way  on  the  third  day's  bombardment.  They  boasted  greatly  of  their 
prowess,  especially  in  this  battle,  as  they  called  it;  but  I  discovered  they  were 


ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS.  13 


not  of  one  mind  as  to  certain  of  the  exploits  that  had  distinguished  it,  one  of 
which,  as  I  remember,  was,  that  they  had  slain  a  father  and  his  son,  a  boy  of 
fifteen,  not  long  residents  of  the  fated  city,  whom  they  admitted  to  have  borne 
a  character  without  reproach. 

"They  also  conducted  me  inside  the  massive  sculptured  walls  of  the  curious 
Temple,  in  which  they  said  the  banished  inhabitants  were  accustomed  to  cele- 
brate the  mystic  rites  of  an  unhallowed  worship.  They  particularly  pointed 
out  to  me  certain  features  of  the  building,  which,  having  been  the  peculiar 
objects  of  a  former  superstitious  regard,  they  had,  as  a  matter  of  duty,  sedul- 
ously defiled  and  defaced.  The  reputed  sites  of  certain  shrines  they  had  thus 
particularly  noticed ;  and  various  sheltered  chambers,  in  one  of  which  was  a 
deep  well,  constructed,  they  believed,  with  a  dreadful  design.  Beside  these, 
they  led  me  to  see  a  large  and  deep-chiselled  marble  vase  or  basin,  supported 
upon  twelve  oxen,  also  of  marble,  and  of  the  size  of  life,  of  which  they  told 
some  romantic  stories.  They  said  the  deluded  persons,  most  of  whom  were 
emigrants  from  a  great  distance,  believed  their  Deity  countenanced  their  recep- 
tion here  of  a  baptism  of  regeneration,  as  proxies  for  whomsoever  they  held  in 
warm  affection  in  the  countries  from  which  they  had  come.  That  here  parents 
'  went  into  the  water'  for  their  lost  children,  children  for  their  parents,  widows 
for  their  spouses,  and  young  persons  for  their  lovers ;  that  thus  the  Great  Vase 
came  to  be  for  them  associated  with  all  dear  and  distant  memories,  and  was 
therefore  the  object,  of  all  others  in  the  building,  to  which  they  attached  the 
greatest  degree  of  idolatrous  affection.  On  this  account,  the  victors  had  so 
diligently  desecrated  it,  as  to  render  the  apartment  in  which  it  was  contained 
too  noisome  to  abide  in. 

"They  permitted  me  also  to  ascend  into  the  steeple,  to  see  where  it  had  been 
lightning-struck  on  the  Saobath  before;  and  to  look  out,  east  and  south,  on  wasted 
farms  like  those  I  had  seen  near  the  city,  extending  till  they  were  lost  in  the 
distance.  Here,  in  the  face  of  pure  day,  close  to  the  scar  of  the  divine 
wrath  left  by  the  thunderbolt,  were  fragments  of  food,  cruses  of  liquor,  and 
broken  drinking  vessels,  with  a  bass  drum  and  a  steamboat  signal  bell,  of 
which  I  afterwards  learned  the  use  with  pain 

"  It  was  after  night'all,  when  I  was  ready  to  cross  the  river  on  my  return. 
The  wind  had  freshened  since  the  sunset,  and  the  water  beating  roughly  into 
my  little  boat,  I  beaded  higher  up  the  stream  than  the  point  I  had  left  in  the 
morning,  and  landed  where  a  faint  glimmering  light  invited  me  to  steer. 

"Here,  among  the  dock  and  rushes,  sheltered  only  by  the  darkness,  without 
roof  between  them  and  the  sky,  I  came  upon  a  crowd  of  several  hundred  human 
creatures,  whom  my  movements  roused  from  uneasy  slumber  upon  the  ground. 

"Passing  these  on  my  way  to  the  light,  I  found  it  came  from  a  tallow  candle, 
in  a  paper  funnel  shade,  such  as  is  used  by  street  vendors  of  apples  and  pea- 
nuts, and  which,  flaring  and  guttering  away  in  the  bleak  air  off  the  water, 
shone  fiickeringlyon  the  emaciated  features  of  a  man  in  the  last  stage  of  a  bilious, 
remittent  fever.  They  had  done  their  best  for  him.  Over  his  head  was  some- 
thing like  a  tent,  made  of  a  sheet  or  two,  aid  he  rested  on  a  but  partially  ripped 
open  old  straw  mattress,  with  a  hair  sofa  cushion  under  his  head  for  a  pillow. 
His  gaping  jaw  and  glazing  eye  told  how  short  a  time  he  would  monopolize 
these  luxuries ;  though  a  seemingly  bewildered  and  excited  person,  who 
might  have  been  his  wife,  seemed  to  find  hope  in  occasionally  forcing  him  to 
swallow,  awkwardly-measured,  sips  of  the  tepid  river  water,  from  a  burned  and 
battered  bitter-smelling  tin  coffee  pot.  Those  who  knew  better  had  furnished  the 
apothecary  he  needed ;  a  toothless  old  bald-head,  whose  manner  had  the 
repulsive  dullness  of  a  man  familiar  with  death  scenes.  He,  so  long  as  I 
remained,  mumbled  in  his  patient's  ear  a  monotonous  and  melancholy  prayer, 
between  the  pauses  of  which  I  heard  the  hiccup  and  sobbing  of  two  little  girls, 
who  were  sitting  upon  a  piece  of  drift  wood  outside. 

"  Dreadful,  indeed,  was  the  suffering  of  these  forsaken  beings;  bowed  and 
cramped  by  cold  and  sunburn ;  alternating  as  each  weary  day  and  night 
dragged  on,  they  were,  almost  all  of  them,  the  crippled  victims  of  disease. 
They  were  th<  re  because  they  had  no  homes,  nor  hospital,  nor  poor-house,  nor 
friends  to  offer  them  any.  They  could  not  satisfy  the  feeble  cravings  of  their 
sick ;  they  had  not  bread  to  quiet  the  fractious  hunger-cries  of  their  children. 
Mothers  and  babes,  daughters  and  grand- parents,  all  of  them  alike,  were 
bivouacked  in  tatters,  wanting  even  covering  to  comfort  those  whom  the  sick 
shiver  of  fever  were  searching  to  the  marrow. 


14  ANSWERS   TO   QUESTIONS. 


"These  were  Mormons,  famishing  in  L  e  county,  Iowa,  iu  the  fourth  week  of 
the  month  of  Sept  *mber,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1846.  The  city — it  was  Nauvoo, 
111.  The  Mormons  were  the  owners  of  that  city,  and  the  smiling  country 
around.  And  those  who  had  stopped  their  ploughs,  who  had  silenced  their 
hammers,  their  axes,  their  shuttles,  and  their  workshop  wheels  ;,  those  who 
had  put  out  their  fires,  who  had  eaten  their  food,  spoiled  their  orchards,  and 
trampled  under  foot  their  thousands  of  acres  of  unharvested  bread  ;  these  were 
the  keepers  of  their  dwellings,  the  carousors  in  their  temple,  wbose  drunken 
riot  insulted  the  <jars  of  their  dying. 

"  I  think  it  was  as  I  turned  from  the  wretched  night  watch  of  which  I  have 
spoken,  that  I  first  listened  to  the  sounds  of  revel  of  a  party  of  the  guard 
within  the  city.  Above  the  distant  hum  of  the  voices  of  many,  occasionally 
rose  distinct  the  loud  oath-tainted  exclamation,  and  the  falsely  intonated  scrap 
of  vulgar  song;  but  lest  this  requiem  should  go  unheeded,  every  now  and 
then,  when  their  boisterous  orgies  strove  to  attain  a  sort  of  ecstatic  climax,  a 
cruel  spirit  of  insulting  frolic  carried  some  of  them  up  into  the  high  belfry  of 
the  Temple  steeple,  and  there,  with  the  wicked  childishness  of  inebriates,  they 
whooped,  and  shrieked,  and  beat  the  drum  that  I  had  seen,  and  rang  in  chari- 
varic  unison  their  loud-tongued  steam-boat  bell. 

"They  were,  all  told,  not  more  than  six  hundred  and  forty  persons  who 
were  thus  lying  on  the  river  flats.  But  the  Mormons  in  Nauvoo  and  its 
dependencies  had  been  numbered  the  year  before  at  over  twenty  thousand. 
Where  were  they?  They  had  last  been  seen,  carrying  in  mournful  trains  their 
sick  and  wounded,  halt  and  blind,  to  disappear  behind  the  western  horizon, 
pursuing  the  phantom  of  another  home.  Hardly  anything  else  was  known  of 
them :  and  people  asked  with  curiosity,  *  What  had  been  their  fate— what  their 
fortunes?" 

The  rear  of  the  camp  of  the  Saints  that  were  driven  out  of  Nauvoo 
encamped  on  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi,  a  very  uncomfortable  and 
distressing  situation,  where  they  were  frequently  annoyed  by  the  firing  of 
cannon  from  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  many  of  the  shot  landing  in 
the  river,  but  occasionally  some  would  pass  over  into  the  camp.  One  of 
them,  picked  up  in  the  camp,  was  sent  as  a  present  to  the  Governor  of 
Iowa. 

PIONEERING  JOURNEY. 

In  the  spring  of  1847,  President  Brigham  Young,  with  143  pioneers, 
started  in  search  of  a  place  of  settlement.  He  was  led  by  the  inspiration  of 
the  Almighty,  (for  no  one  of  the  company  knew  anything  of  the  country) 
directly  to  Great  Salt  Lake  Valley,  where  he  and  the  company  arrived  on 
the  24th  day  of  July,  having  sought  out  and  made  a  new  road  650 
miles,  and  followed  a  trappers'  trail  nearly  400  miles  On  the  29th  of 
July  the  Pioneers  received  additional  strength  by  the  arrival  of  Captain 
James  Brown  and  a  detachment  of  the  battalion  and  a  company  of  Saints 
from  the  Mississippi,  who  wintered  with  the  detachment  on  the  Arkansas 
river.  Seven  of  the  detachment  died  on  the  route. 

SALT  LAKE  CITY. 

The  population,  being  now  about  four  hundred,  the  building  of  Salt 
Lake  City  was  commenced  by  the  erection  of  a  Fort,  enclosing  ten  acres. 

The  arrival  of  the  Pioneers  and  this  detachment  of  the  battalion,  all 
armed  and  carrying  the  flag  of  the  United  States,  the  commencement  to 
build  a  fort  and  the  hoisting  of  the  stars  and  stripes  (although  this  coun- 
try at  the  time  belonged  to  Mexico)  had  a  tendency  to  impress  the  wild 


ANSWERS   TO   QUESTIONS.  15 


tribes  of  the  mountains  with  respect,  and  made  it  comparatively  easy  to 
promote  friendly  relations  with  them. 

The  Twelve  Apostles  organized  Salt  Lake  City  into  a  Stake  of  Zion  and 
appointed  John  Smith  President;  Charles  C.  Rich  and  John  Young  his 
counsellors;  Tarlton  Lewis,  Bishop,  and  a  High  Council.  This  organiza- 
tion went  into  effect  on  the  arrival  of  the  immigrant  companies  in  the  Fall 
of  1847,  when  about  700  wagons  laden  with  families  arrived  on  the  site  of 
Salt  Lake  City. 

The  whole  basin  was  so  barren  as  to  produce  little  besides  a  species  of 
bunch  grass,  and  the  ground  was  covered  with  myriads  of  large  black 
crickets,  which  were  the  food  of  the  Indians.  In  this  desert  place  the  site 
of  Salt  Lake  City  was  surveyed. 

Not  a  single  person  in  the  whole  company  had  a  full  supply  of  provis- 
ions, but  all  were  on  half  rations.  About  one  hundred,  who  had  served 
in  the  "Mormon"  Battalion,  found  their  way  here  from  California  in  the 
Winter,  without  any  provisions. 

RETURN   OF   THE   PIONEERS. 

On  the  25th  of  August,  1847,  President  Brigham  Young  and  107 
others  started  on  their  return  to  Winter  Quarters.  At  the  South  Pass  the 
Sioux  Indians  stole  part  of  their  animals,  which  compelled  them  to  walk 
most  of  the  way  to  the  Missouri  river,  depending  mostly  upon  such  game 
as  they  could  obtain  by  the  way,  and  being  without  suitable  horses  for 
chasing  the  buffalo  the  few  obtained  were  generally  old  bulls,  whose  flesh 
was  of  very  poor  quality  and  not  sufficient  in  quantity  to  supply  their 
wants. 

In  1848,  President  Young  arrived  again  in  Salt  Lake  valley  with  about 
eight  hundred  wagons. 

The  crickets,  during  the  season  of  1848,  came  down  from  the  mountains 
in  myriads  and  destroyed  a  great  portion  of  the  scanty  crops;  and,  not- 
withstanding every  effort  was  made  to  drive  them  off  by  means  of  bushes, 
long  rods,  &c.,  whole  families  and  neighborhoods  turning  out  en  masse 
until  almost  exhausted,  the  whole  would  have  been  destroyed  had  not  the 
Almighty  in  His  kindness  sent  gulls  in  vast  numbers,  covering  every 
field,  driving  the  crickets  from  the  crops  into  the  streams  and  even  into 
door  yards,  and  devouring  them  until  gorged,  then  vomiting  them  and 
devouring  more. 

Notwithstanding  the  "Mormon"  Battalion  had  been  in  the  service  of  the 
United  States,  those  of  their  families  which  were  located  at  Winter  Quar- 
ters were  required,  by  the  Indian  Department,  in  the  Spring  of  1848,  to 
leave  their  cabins  and  recross  the  river  into  Iowa.  Yet  it  was  well 
known  they  were  only  encamped  there  awaiting  the  return  of  their  hus- 
bands, fathers  and  brothers,  who  had  been  discharged  on  the  Pacili« 
coast,  without  means  of  transportation  or  rations. 

GOLD   DISCOVERED   IN  CALIFORNIA. 

In  the  Spring  of  1848, some  members  of  the  "Mormon"  Battalion  dis- 
covered gold  in  California;  thus  opening  to  the  world  an  unparalleled 
source  of  wealth  and  adventure. 


16  ANSWERS  TO   QUESTIONS. 


LOG  TABERNACLE  CONFERENCE. 

At  a  General  Conference  held  at  the  log  Tabernacle  in  December,  1847, 
at  Kanesville,  (now  Council  Bluffs,)  Iowa,  the  Saints  acknowledged 
Brigham  Young  President  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  day 
Saints,  and  Heber  C.  Kimball  and  Willard  Richards  his  counselors.  This 
action  was  confirmed  at  the  General  Conference  held  in  Salt  Lake  Valley 
after  the  companies  arrived  in  the  Fall  of  1848;  John  Smith  was  chosen 
Patriarch  over  the  whole  Church,  and  in  February,  1849,  Charles  C. 
Rich,  Lorenzo  Snow,  Erastus  Snow  and  Franklin  D.  Richards  were 
ordained  to  fill  the  Quorum  of  the  Twelve  Apostles. 

CHURCH   AUTHORITIES— 1849. 

The  Church  authorities  then  stood  as  follows:  Brigham  Young,  Presi- 
dent; Heber  C.  Kimball  and  Willard  Richards,  counsellors;  Orson  Hyde, 
President  of  the  Twelve  Apostles;  Parley  P.  Pratt,  Orson  Pratt,  John  Tay- 
lor, Wilford  Woodruff,  George  A.  Smith,  Amasa  M.  Lyman,  Ezra  T. 
Benson,  Charles  C.  Rich,  Lorenzo  Snow,  Erastus  Snow  and  Franklin  D. 
Richards,  members  of  the  Quorum  of  the  Twelve;  John  Smith,  Patri- 
arch ;  Daniel  Spencer,  President  of  the  Stake  of  Salt  Lake,  and  Newel  K. 
Whitney,  Presiding  Bishop. 

ORGANIZATION  AND   CAMP  RULES. 

The  companies  for  the  plains  were  organized  at  the  Elk  Horn  river, 
about  18  miles  west  of  Winter  Quarters,  now  Florence,  Nebraska,  into 
companies  of  hundreds,  fifties  and  tens;  each  fifty  was  provided  with  a 
blacksmith  and  wagon  maker  with  tools  for  repairing  wagons  and  shoe- 
ing animals.  Three  hundred  pounds  of  breadstuff  were  required  for  each 
person  emigrating,  and  a  good  gun  with  100  rounds  of  ammunition  for 
each  able-bodied  man.  Many  cows  were  worked  in  the  yoke.  Each 
family  was  also  required  to  take  a  due  proportion  of  seed  grain  and  agri- 
cultural implements.  Every  wagon,  load  and  team  was  inspected  by  a 
committee,  and  none  were  allowed  to  start  on  to  the  plains  without 
the  required  outfit.  A  strict  guard  was  kept  over  the  cattle  by  night  and 
day,  and  also  in  the  camps,  which  were  formed  in  an  oval  shape,  the 
inside  making  a  corral  for  the  stock.  Pigs  and  poultry  were  carried  in 
coops  attached  to  the  wagons. 

No  person  was  allowed  by  the  rules  to  wander  about,  not  even  to  hunt 
game,  except  under  special  directions,  and  by  these  precautions  no  person 
was  lost  and  but  few  accidents  occurred, and  the  loss  of  animals  was  small, 
although  we  traveled  ten  hundred  and  thirty-four  miles  from  the  Missouri 
river  to  Salt  Lake  City,  through  an  uninhabited  and  desert  region.  Sat- 
urday afternoon  was  usually  occupied  washing,  baking,  repairing  wagons 
and  shoeing  animals,  and  Sunday  was  a  day  of  rest  and  worship. 
Morning  and  evening  prayers  and  songs  of  praise  were  never  omitted  in 
the  camps,  and  occasionally  a  dance  was  enjoyed,  the  companies  gener- 
ally being  favored  With  musical  talent. 

Thus  the  refining  influences  of  society  and  civilization  were  continually 
felt  and  kept  in  view,  and  the  moral  status  of  the  camps'  preserved  invio- 


ANSWERS  TO   QUESTIONS.  17 


late  through  all  the  fatigues,  hardships,  exposures  and  vexatious  annoy- 
ances of  the  entire  journey. 

BREAD  REGULATIONS. 

For  about  three  years  every  head  of  a  family  issued  his  breadstuff  in 
rations  daily,  varying  from  one-quarter  to  one  pound  per  soul,  according 
to  the  amount  of  provisions  he  had  on  hand;  most  of  the  time  the  rations 
were  from  one-half  to  three-fourths  of  a  pound,  sometimes  accompanied 
with  vegetables  and  milk;  but  if  without  these,  the  bread  was  not  in- 
creased, for  it  was  necessary  that  it  should  be  made  to  last  until  harvest. 
This  order  of  things  continued  until  the  population  increased  to  over 
12000,  when  in  1850  an  abundant  harvest  put  an  end  to  the  necessity  of 
rationing.  In  1855,  most  of  the  crops  were  destroyed  by  grasshoppers 
and  drouth,  compelling  the  people  to  subsist  principally  upon  the  surplus 
of  previous  years,  and  the  adoption  again  of  the  system  of  rationing, which 
continued  until  the  harvest  of  1856.  In  addition  to  the  loss  of  crops  by 
grasshoppers,  vast  numbers  of  cattle  died  in  consequence  of  the  severity 
of  the  winter  of  1855-6,  materially  lessening  the  quantity  of  food.  During 
these  periods  great  numbers  of  gold  hunters  en  route,  for  California  came 
into  the  valley  destitute  of  food,  who  were  fed  and  aided  on  their  way 
from  our  scanty  supplies.  In  all  these  times  of  scarcity  measures  were 
taken  to  supply  those  who  were  unable  to  furnish  themselves.  Fast  days 
were  proclaimed  in  all  the  congregations  on  the  first  Thursday  of  each 
month,  and  the  food  saved  in  that  way  distributed  among  the  poor;  and 
thousands  of  persons  who  had  an  abundance  of  bread  put  their  families 
on  rations,  so  as  to  save  the  same  for  those  who  could  not  otherwise  obtain 
it.  And  so  wise  and  liberal  were  the  regulations  during  these  periods  of 
scarcity  incident  upon  settling  the  Territory  that  no  one  perished  or  even 
suffered  materially  for  the  want  of  food,  and  all  were  remarkably 
healthy. 

CIVIL  GOVERNMENT. — STATE  OF  DESERET. 

In  March,  1849,  a  Provisional  Government  was  organized  and  a  State 
Constitution  adopted  by  a  convention  under  the  name  of  "The  State  of 
Deseret."  A  delegate  was  sent  to  Congress,  with  a  petition  for  admission 
into  the  Union.  At  the  first  general  election,  a  Governor,  Secretary, 
Chief  Justice  and  two  Associates,  Marshal,  Attorney  General,  Assessor 
and  Collector,  Treasurer  and  Magistrates  were  elected. 

Under  the  Provisional  Government  of  the  State  of  Deseret,  and  before 
the  Territorial  Organic  Act  passed,  the  counties  of  Salt  Lake,  Davis,  Weber, 
Utah,  Sanpete  and  Iron  were  organized,  and  the  cities  of  Salt  Lake, 
Ogden,  Provo,  Manti  and  Parowan  were  incorporated.  Bridges  were 
constructed  across  the  Weber,  Ogden  and  Provo  rivers,  and  two  across  Jhe 
Jordan  river;  new  valleys  were  explored  and  roads  opened  into  various 
parts  of  the  State,  all  of  which  were  free  from  toll,  although  costing  an 
immense  amount  of  labor,  in  consequence  of  the  rugged  features  of  the 
country,  the  great  difficulty  in  getting  timber,  and  the  scarcity  of  saw 
mills. 


-j 

18  ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS. 

Although  the  country  was  one  of  the  most  barren  by  nature  ever  inhab- 
ited by  man,  scarcely  a  tree  or  a  bush  growing  below  the  snow  line  with- 
out irrigation ,  no  colony  ever  progressed  with  more  equal  and  uniform 
rapidity. 

TERRITORY  OF  UTAH. 

September  9th,  1850.  an  act  of  Congress  providing  for  the  organization 
of  the  Territorial  government  of  Utah  was  approved;  Sec.  7  of  which 
declares  the  laws  of  the  United  States  to  be  in  force  in  Utah  as  far  as 
applicable.  The  judges  of  the  Supreme  Court  did  not  enter  upon  their 
duties  until  1853. 

Brigham  Young  was  appointed  Governor  of  Utah  by  President  Millard 
Fillmore,  and  continued  in  office  until  the  arrival  of  Alfred  Gumming/ 
in  April,  1858,  and  performed  the  duties  of  that  office  to  the  entire  satis- 
faction of  the  inhabitants,  who  unanimously  desired  his  re-appointment. 

SETTLEMENT  OF  COUNTIES. 

Salt  Lake  County  was  settled  by  President  Brigham  Young  and  pioneers 
who  entered  Salt  Lake  Valley,  July  24th,  1847.  They  erected  a  fort  of  logs 
and  sun-dried  bricks,  enclosing  ten  acres  of  land,  now  known  as  the  "old 
fort"  block,  in  the  Sixth  Ward  of  Salt  Lake  City. 

Davis  County  by  Peregrine  Sessions,  in  the  Spring  of  1848.  He  located 
at  Bountiful. 

Weber  County  by  Capt.  James  Brown,  in  the  Spring  of  1848.  He  pur- 
chased some  shanties  and  a  Mexican  grant  of  land  from  Miles  Goodyear, 
an  Indian  trader,  on  the  site  of  Ogden  City. 

Utah  County  by  John  and  Isaac  Higbee  and  thirty  others,  who  built  a 
picket  fort  near  the  site  of  Provo  City  in  the  Spring  of  1849. 

Tooele  County  by  John  Rowberry  and  others  in  1849. 

San  Pete  County  by  a  company  under  the  guidance  of  Isaac  Morley, 
Seth  Taft  and  Charles  Shumway,  who  entered  that  valley  in  November, 
1849,  and  located  at  Manti. 

Decembers,  1850,  thirty  families  left  Salt  Lake  City,  including  one  hun- 
dred and  eighteen  men,  with  six  hundred  head  of  stock  and  one  hundred 
and  one  wagons,  led  by  Elder  George  A.  Smith;  and  in  January  following 
arrived  at,  and  settled  the  county  of,  Iron,  by  building  a  fort  at  Parowan. 

Millard  County  in  the  Fall  of  1851,  by  Anson  Call  and  thirty  fami- 
lies. 

Box  Elder  County  by  Simeon  A.  Carter  and  others,  in  1851. 

Carson  County  (now  in  the  State  of  Nevada)  by  Col.  John  Eeese,  in 
1851,  and  in  1855  by  missionaries  from  Salt  Lake  Valley,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Hon.  Orson  Hyde,  when  the  county  was  organized. 

Juab  County  in  the  Fall  of  1852,  by  Joseph  L.  Hey  wood  and  George  W. 
Bradley,  who  located  at  Nephi. 

Washington  County  in  the  Spring  of  1852,  by  John  D.  Lee,  who  made 
a  ranch  on  Ash  Creek.  The  cotton  region  of  the  county  by  Jacob  Ham- 
bliii,  at  Santa  Clara,  in  1855,  Joseph  Horn,  at  Heberville,  in  1857,  Robert 


ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS.  19 


D.  Covington  and  thirty-three  others,  at  Washington,  in  1857,  and  Joshua 
T.  Willis,  at  Toquer,  in  the  Spring  of  1858. 

Summit  County  in  1853,  by  Samuel  Snyder,  Esq.,  who  built  saw  mills 
in  Parley's  Park* 

Green  River  County,  now  included  in  Wyoming  Territory,  by  President 
Brigham  Young,  who  purchased  of  James  Bridger  a  Mexican  grant  for 
thirty  miles  of  land  and  some  cabins,  known  as  Fort  Bridger,  for  which 
he  paid  eight  thousand  dollars  in  gold;  the  deeds  of  this  property  :  re  still 
in  his  possession.  He  erected  a  stone  fort  and  corrals  for  the  protection 
of  animals  and  made  other  improvements  on  the  ranch,  expending  about 
$8,CQO  more. 

In  November,  1853,  Jofrii  Nebeker  and  a  company  of  thirty-nine  breth- 
ren, afeo  Isaac  Bullock  and  another  company  numbering  fifty-three  men, 
left  Salt  Lake  and  Utah  counties  and  located  at  Fort  Supply,  in  Green 
River  County.  They  built  houses,  fenced  and  broke  up  land  and  planted 
crops. 

In  1857,  the' United  States  army,  under  Gen.  Johnson,  took  possession 
of  Fort  Bridger,  in  the  name  of  the  United  States,  and  declared  it  to  be 
a  military  reservation.  The  reservation  was  also  extended  over  the  settle- 
ment and  farming  lands  of  Fort  Supply,  the  county  seat. 

Alfred  Gumming,  then  Governor  of  Utah,  made  an  attempt  to  restore 
the  property  to  the  citizens  who  had  been  dispossessed  by  military  au- 
thority but  his  efforts  were  unsuccessful,  Jiaving  been  overruled  by  John 
B.  Floyd,  then  Secretary  of  War.  The  loss  and  damage  sustained  by 
these  pioneers,  were  about  $300,000. 

Morgan  County  by  Jedediah  M.  Grant  and  Thomas  Thurstin,  in  the 
Spring  of  1855. 

Cache  County  in  1856,  by  Peter  Maughan  and  others,  at  Wellsville. 

Beaver  County  in  1856,  by  Edward  Thompson  and  thirteen  others  from 
Parowan.  « 

Kane  County  in  the  Fall  of  1858,  by  Nephi  Johnson  and  six  others,  who 
located  at  Virgen  City. 

Rich  County  in  1863,  by  Elder  Charles  C.  Rich  and  many  others. 
Wasatch  County  by  twenty  men  from  Provo  and  Spanish  and  American 
Forks* 

TERRITORIAL.  LEGISLATURE  AND  CONVENTIONS.  « 

At  the  first  session  of  the  Territorial  Legislature,  held  in  1851-2,  in  Salt 
Lake  City,  memorials  to  Congress  were  adopted  praying  for  the  construc- 
tion of  a  National  Central  Railroad,  and  also  a  telegraph  line  from  the  Mis- 
souri river,  ma  Salt  Lake  City,  to  the  Pacific. 

The  Legislature  continued  to  memorialize  Congress  from  time  to  time 
on  these  subjects,  until  a  telegraph  line  was  established,  connecting  the 
Atlantic  and  the  Pacific  coasts  and  the  great  National  Central  Railroad,  so 
long  desired,  is  now  completed. 


20  ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS. 


The  following  Memorial  was  signed  by  Governor  Brigham  Young  : 

MEMORIAL  TO  CONGRESS  FOR  THE  CONSTRfTCTION  OF  A  GREAT 
NATIONAL  CENTRAL  RAILROAD  TO  THE  PACIFIC  COAST. 

APPROVED  MARCH  3,  1852. 

To  the  Honorable,  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States, 
in  Congress  assembled: 

Your  memorialists,  the  Governor  and  Legislative  Assembly  of  the  Territory 
of  Utah,  respectfully  pray  your  honorable  body,  to  provide  for  the  establish- 
ment of  a  national  central  railroad  from  some  eligible  point  on  the  Mississippi 
or  Missouri  rivers,  to  San  Diego,  San  Francisco,  Sacramento  or  Astoria,  or 
such  other  point  on  or  near  the  Pacific  coast,  as  the  wisdom  of  your  honorable 
body  may  dictate. 

Your  memorialists  respectfully  state,  that  the  immense  emigration  to  and 
from  the  Pacific,  requires  the  immediate  attention,  guardian  care,  and  fostering 
assistance  of  the  greatest  and  most  liberal  government  on  the  earth.  Your 
memorialists  are  of  opinion  that  not  less  than  five  thousand  American  citizens 
have  perished  on  the  different  routes  within  the  last  three  years,  for  the  want 
of  proper  means  of  transportation  ;  that  an  eligible  route  can  be  obtained  your 
memorialists  have  no  doubt,  being  extensively  acquainted  with  the  country. 
We  know,  that  no  obstruction  exists  between"  this  point  and  San  Diego,  and 
that  iron,  coal,  timber,  stone,  and  other  materials  exist  in  various  places  on  the 
route  ;  and  that  the  settlements  of  this  Territory  are  so  situated,  as  to  amply 
supply  the  builders  of  said  road,  with  materials  and  provisions  for  a  consider- 
able portion  of  the  route,  and  to  carry  on  an  extensive  trade  after  the  road  is 
completed. 

Your  memorialists  are  of  opinion  that  the  mineral  resources  of  California, 
and  these  mountains,  can  never  be  fully  developed  to  the  benefit  of  the  people 
of  the  United  States,  without  the  construction  of  such  a  road;  and,  upon  its 
completion,  the  entire  trade  of  China  and  the  East  Indies  will  pass  through  the 
heart  of  the  Union,  thereby  giving  our  citizens  the  almost  entire  control  of  the 
Asiatic  and  Pacific  trade ;  pouring  into  the  lap  of  the  American  States,  the 
millions  that  are  now  diverted  through  other  commercial  channels:  and  last, 
though  not  least,  the  road  herein  proposed  would  be  a  perpetual  chain,  or  iron 
band,  which  would  effectually  hold  together  our  glorious  Union  with  an 
imperishable  identity  of  mutual  interest ;  thereby,  consolidating  our  relations 
with  foreign  powers  in  times  of  peace  and  our  defence  from  foreign  invasion 
by  the  speedy  transmission  of  troops  and  supplies,  in  times  of  war. 

The  earnest  attention  of  Congress  to  this  important  subject  is  solicited  by 
your  memorialists,  who,  in  duty  bound,  will  ever  pray. 

The  Territorial  Legislature  in  December,  1855,  passed  an  act  providing 
for  holding  a  convention  to  form  and  adopt  a  Constitution  for  the  Territory, 
with  a  view  to  its  admission  into  the  Union  as  a  State. 

The  convention  met  in  March  and  adopted  a  Constitution,  under  the 
name  and  style  of  "The  State  of  Desefet,"  and  a  memorial  to  Congress, 
which  were  submitted  to  the  people  and  unanimously  approved,  and  were 
presented  to  Congress  by  the  Delegate,  Hon.  John  M.  Bernhisel. 

In  1862,  another  convention  was  held,  which  re-adopted,  with  slight 
amendments,  the  Constitution  of  1856,  which  was  again  submitted  to  the 
people  and  approved.  A  State  government  was  organized,  and  the  Gene- 
ral Assembly  met  and  elected  Hons.  George  Q.  Cannon  and  William  H. 
Hooper,  Senators  to  Congress,  who  went  to  Washington  and  endeavored, 
unsuccessfully,  to  gain  admission  as  a  State. 

DELEGATES  IN  CONGRESS. 

The  Territorial  Delegate  from  1851  to  1859  and  from  1861  to  1863  was 
Hon.  John  M.  Bernhisel;  from  1863  to  1865,  Hon.  John  F.  Kinney;  from 


ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS. 


21 


1859  to  1861  and  from  1865  to  1869,  Hon.  William  H.  Hooper,  who  is  the 
present  Delegate. 

AREA,  AGRICULTURE,  ETC.,    OF  UTAH. 

Utah  extends  from  the  37th  parallel  of  north  latitude  to  the  42d,  and 
from  the  109th  to  the  114th  degree  of  longitude.  The  area  is  about  70,000 
square  miles.  The  proportion  of  land  susceptible  of  cultivation  is  very 
small,  the  general  character  of  the  Territory  being  that  of  mountain  and 
desert.  The  Agricultural  Society  in  1866  reported  about  134,000  acres 
under  cultivation.  Some  tracts  of  land,  apparently  fine,  rich  soil,  of  su- 
perior quality,  fail  to  produce  crops,  owing  to  the  superabundance  of 
alkali  and  other  mineral  substances,  which  encrust  the  surface  of  the 
earth.  The  agriculture  of  the  country  is  carried  on  at  a  heavy  expense, 
incurred  by  irrigation,  the  land  having  generally  to  be  watered  several 
times  to  produce  wheat  and  barley,  and  oftener  for  Indian  corn  and 
roots. 

The  necessity  of  irrigation  entails  a  continual  expense  upon  the  agricul- 
turist in  cleaning  out  ditches  and  canals  and  repairing  dams.  On  much 
of  the  soil  the  ditches  have  to  be  cleaned  out  twice  a  year.  Good  wheat, 
com  and  vegetables  may  be  produced  in  abundance,  if  carefully  irri- 
gated. 

The  following  tables  of  the  expense  of  the  main  irrigating  canals  and 
the  amount  of  land  irrigated  by  the  same,  and  agricultural  statistics  for 
1865,  serve  to  show,  although  very  incomplete,  the  cost,  as  also  the  success, 
attending  agricultural  industry  in  Utah. 

Number  of  canals,  277;  total  length,  in  rods,  333,862;  cost  of  construc- 
tion, includin  dams,  $1,766,939;  number  of  acres  irrigated,  153,949;  estima- 
ted cost  of  canals  in  progress,  $877,730. 


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About  115  saw  and  90  grist  mills  are  in  operation,  and  three  woolen  and 
three  cotton  mills. 

PUBLIC  BUILDINGS. 

Amongst  the  public  buildings  there  are  the  Deseret  State  House,  erected 
in  1849-50,  in  Salt  Lake  City,  which  has  been  occupied  by  the  Legislature 
for  about  sixteen  years,  and  is  now  used  by  the  Deseret  University.  The 


22  ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS. 


Utah  Territorial  House,  at  Fillmore  City.  The  Tabernacle,  in  Salt  Lake 
City,  a  building  64x158,  arched,  without  a  column.  The  New  Tabernacle 
150x250,  80  feet  high,  oval  in  form,  without  a  column,  built  on  stone  pillars 
22  feet  high,  the  roof  being  lattice-work  of  red  pine  timber,  and,  with 
gallery,  yet  to  be  constructed,  will  contain  12,000  people.  The  organ  in 
course  of  erection  in  this  edifice  is  second  to  none  in  the  United  States,  in 
appearance  and  sweetness  of  tone,  and  is  exceeded  in  size  by  but  one.  It 
was  constructed  entirely  by  Utah  mechanics,  under  the  direction  of  Elder 
Joseph  Kidges.  A  small  amount  of  material  was  imported  ;  the  principal 
part  thereof  was  produced  at  home.  To  hear  the  melody  of  the  organ 
richly  repays  a  visit  to  the  Tabernacle.  The  Court  House  is  a  well  finished 
building,  40x55.  The  City  Hall,  60x60,  built  of  stone,  at  a  cost  of  $75,000, 
with  clock  and  bell. 

The  Theatre  (including  addition)  is  80  by  172  feet,  46  feet  high  inside. 

There  are  many  imposing  edifices  in  the  settlements,  principally  meet- 
ing houses  and  county  buildings. 

COMMON    SCHOOLS. 

According  to  the  report  of  Bobert  L.  Campbell,  Superintendent  of  Com- 
mon Schools,  there  are  186  school  districts  in  the  Territory,  with  a  school 
population — children  between  4  and  16  years — of  upwards  of  22,000,  out  of 
which  58  per  cent,  are  enrolled  in  school  schedules,  the  actual  attendance 
being  about  42  per  cent. 

The  public  lands  donated  by  Congress  to  States  and  Territories,  in  the 
absence  of  a  land  office,  have  not  been  available,  hence  there  is  no  public 
school  fund.  Schools,  however,  are  generously  supported  by  the  people. 

Salt  Lake  City  is  divided  into  twenty  one  school  districts,  with  a  good 
public  school-house  in  each,  some  districts  having  three  and  four  schools; 
besides  which  there  are  private  schools  and  two  academies,  and  two  com- 
mercial colleges. 

NEWSPAPERS  AND  MAGAZINES. 

The  following  newspapers  and  magazines  are  published  in  Utah: 
The  "Deseret  News,"  Weekly,  Semi- Weekly  and  Daily,  edited  by 
George  Q.  Cannon;  issue,  15,000  copies.  The  "Juvenile  Instructor,"  also 
edited  by  George  Q.  Cannon;  issue,  3000  copies  semi-monthly.  The  "Utah 
Magazine,"  published  by  Harrison  &  Godbe.  The  Salt  Lake  Daily, 
Semi  Weekly  and  Weekly  "Telegraph,"  by  T.  B.  H.  Stenhouse.  These 
are  published  in  Salt  Lake  City.  The  "Bio  Virgen  Times,"  the  "Cactus," 
and  "St.  George  Juvenile,"  are  published  at  St.  George,  in  Southern 
Utah. 

DEMISE  AND  SUCCESSION  OF  LEADING   AUTHORITIES. 

Newel  K.  Whitney,  presiding  Bishop,  died  in  Salt  Lake  City,  Sept.  23, 
1850.  Edward  Hunter  was  appointed  his  successor. 

Elder  Willard  Bichards,  one  of  the  First  Presidency,  Church  Historian 
and  Editor  of  the  "Deseret  News,"  died  at  his  residence  in  Salt  Lake  City 
on  the  llth  of  March,  1854,  and  was  succeeded  by  Elder  Jedediah  Morgan 
Grant,  as  Second  Counselor  to  President  Young. 


ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS.  23 


Patriarch  John  Smith  died  May  23d,  1854,  at  his  residence  in  Salt  Lake 
City,  and  was  succeeded  by  John  Smith,  (son  of  Hyrum)  who  was  set 
apart  to  the  office  of  Patriarch,  Feb.  18th,  1855. 

.  Elder  Jedediah  Morgan  Grant  died  December  1st,  1856,  at  his  residence 
in  Salt  Lake  City,  and  on  the  4th  day  of  January,  1857,  Elder  Daniel  H. 
\Vells  was  chosen  to  fill  the  vacancy  thus  caused  in  the  quorum  of  the 
First  Presidency. 

Elder  Heber  Chase  Kimball,  first  counselor  to  President  Young,  died 
June  22d,  1868,  at  his  residence  in  Salt  Lake  City,  and  at  the  Conference  of 
October  6th,  1868,  Elder  George  Albert  Smith  was  appointed  to  succeed 
Elder  Kimball  in  the  office  of  First  Counselor  to  President  Young. 

Daniel  Spencer  was  set  apart  as  President  of  this  Stake  of  Zion,  Feb.  13, 
1849.  He  died  in  Salt  Lake  City,  Dec.  13,  1868.  John  W.  Young  was 
appointed  his  successor. 

INDIAN  OUTRAGES. 

The  course  adopted  towards  the  Indians  in  Utah  has  been  the  peaceful 
policy  of  feeding  and  clothing,  in  preference  to  fighting  them.  A  vast 
amount  of  labor  and  means  have  been  expended  in  locating  farms,  sup- 
plying implements  and  teaching  the  art  of  husbandry  to  the  Indians 
throughout  the  Territory,  which  has  been  a  very  heavy  tax  upon  the 
people. 

Almost  every  difficulty  which  has  existed  or  arisen  between  the  citizens 
of  the  Territory  and  the  Indians  has  been  the  result  of  reckless  and  barba- 
rous treatment  by  emigrants  passing  through  the  Territory,  or  by  indis- 
creet and  foolish  persons  residing  therein. 

A  portion  of  the  Utes  located  in  Utah  valley  became  hostile  in  the 
Spring  of  1849,  in  consequence  of  one  of  their  number  being  killed,  which 
was  unknown  to  the  authorities  of  the  Provisional  State  for  some  time. 
This  war  resulted  in  the  death  of  Joseph  Higbee,  the  wounding  of  several 
others,  the  expenditure  of  thousands  of  dollars  in  a  campaign,  suspension 
of  labor,  and  stock  driven  off  or  destroyed.  In  the  Fall  of  1850,  the  Indi- 
ans in  the  northern  part  of  the  Territory  were  also  hostile  from  similar 
causes.  A  party  of  emigrants  from  Missouri,  who  were  encamped  on  the 
Malad,  shot  several  squaws  who  were  crossing  the  stream  on  horse-back, 
and  took  their  horses;  they  then  continued  their  journey  westward.  When 
this  fact  came  to  the  knowledge  of  the  warriors,  they  made  a  descent 
upon  the  northern  settlements,  killing  Mr.  Campbell,  who  was  engaged 
in  erecting  a  mill.  In  a  short  time  a  company  of  volunteers  were  on  the 
spot,  and  ascertaining  the  cause  of  the  difficulty,  through  some  friendly 
Indians,  succeeded  in  restoring  peace  by  paying  the  Indians  for  the  squaws 
who  had  been  killed  and  the  horses  that  had  been  taken  off,  and  by  this 
means  avoided  further  bloodshed. 

In  1853,  a  person  named  Ivey,  in  a  passion,  struck  an  Indian,  which 
resulted  in  his  death.  A  war  ensued,  which  continued  about  one  year,  in 
which  a  number  of  persons  were  killed.  Several  flourishing  settlements 
on  the  frontiers  had  to  abandoned  and  were  burned  by  the  Indians.  In 


24  ANSWERS  TO   QUESTIONS. 


this  war  several  mountaineers  and  traders  took  a  lively  part  in  aiding  the 
Indians  with  ammunition  and  supplies. 

The  murder  of  Capt.  J.  W.  Gunnison  and  party  by  the  Pahvantes, 
which  occurred  in  November,  1853,  was  the  direct  result  of  the  conduct  of 
a  party  of  emigrants  from  the  States,  on  their  way  to  California,  who 
killed  a  Pahvante  Indian  and  wounded  two  others  at  Corn  creek,  a  short 
time  previously;  according  to  the  Indian  rule  of  revenge,  the  massacre  of 
the  next  white  men  found  on  their  grounds  was  the  consequence. 

In  the  settlement  of  new  valleys,  President  Brigham  Young  and  the 
leading  authorities  of  the  Church  have  invariably  counseled  the  settlers  to 
build  forts  and  locate  themselves  in  sufficient  numbers  and  in  such  a  man- 
ner that  when  Indians  were  disposed  to  commit  depredations  they  would 
be  able  to  secure  their  families  and  their  stock. 

April  9th,  1865,  several  Indians  visited  Manti,  Sanpete  county;  they 
wanted  to  have  a  big  talk,  and  boasted  of  having  killed  fifteen  head  of 
cattle  within  a  few  days,  and  got  into  a  quarrel  with  some  of  the  citizens. 

Next  day,  several  of  the  citizens  of  Manti  rode  out  to  the  range  to  find 
if  the  boasts  of  the  Indians  about  killing  their  cattle  were  true,  when  they 
were  confronted  by  the  Indians,  who  fired  upon  them,  killing  a  young 
man  named  Peter  Ludvicksen.  The  Indians  retired  up  Salt  Creek  cafion 
into  Sevier  county,  where  they  found  Elijah  B.  Ward  and  James  Anderson 
in  charge  of  cattle,  whom  they  also  killed.  A  party  started  on  the  12th  in 
pursuit  of  the  Indians  and  the  cattle  which  they  had  taken  with  them. 
This  party  was  overpowered  by  the  Indians,  and  two  of  their  number, 
William  Kearnes  and  Jens  Sorensen,  were  killed. 

May  26th,  the  Indians  made  a  descent  upon  a  family  named  Given, 
in  Thistle  Valley,  twelve  miles  from  Fairview,  in  Sanpete  County, 
and  massacred  the  father,  mother,  and  four  children,  having  the  evening 
previous  killed  Jens  Larsen.  On  the  29th  they  also  killed  David  H. 
Jones. 

In  July,  Robert  Gillespie  and  Anthony  Robinson  were  killed  and  several 
citizens  wounded. 

These  Indian  massacres,  which  were  generally  accompanied  by  raids  on 
cattle,  rendered  it  necessary  for  the  inhabitants  of  Sanpete,  Sevier,  Piute, 
Millard,  Iron,  Beaver,  Kane,  and  Washington  counties  to  guard  their  stock 
with  mounted,  armed  men. 

In  January,  1866,  a  band  of  Indians  made  a  descent  upon  the  Pipe  Spring 
ranch,  in  Kane  county,  killing  J.  M.  Whitmore,  the  proprietor,  and  Robert 
Me  Entire,  and  robbing  the  ranch  of  cattle  and  sheep.  The  ranch  of  Pah- 
reah  was  also  robbed,  and  besieged  for  several  months.  Peter  Shirts 
barricaded  his  house,  and  by  strategy  and  unceasing  vigilance,  with 
the  aid  of  his  family,  managed  to  evade  the  blow  aimed  at  him  until 
relieved  by  Captain  James  Andrus  and  a  company  of  mounted  volun- 
teers from  Graf  ton. 

April  2nd,  Robert  Berry  and  wife,  with  his  brother  Joseph,  were 
waylaid  and  massacred  at  Short  creek,  Kane  county. 

On  the  22nd,    Albert  Lewis  was  killed  and  three  persons  wounded 


ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS. 


near  Marysvale,  Piute  county;  and  on  the  29th,  Thomas  Jones  was 
killed  and  Wm.  Avery  wounded  at  Fairview,  in  Sanpete  county.  On 
the  10th  of  June,  the  Indians  made  a  raid  on  Round  Valley,  driving 
away  three  hundred  head  of  cattle  and  horses  and  killing  Father 
James  Ivie  and  Henry  Wright.  On  the  24th,  Charles  Brown  was 
killed  and  Thomas  Snarr  wounded  in  Thistle  Valley;  and  while  re- 
covering the  horses  and  cattle  driven  off  from  the  Spanish  Fork  pas- 
ture, John  Edmiston,  of  Maiiti,  was  killed,  and  A.  Dimick,  of  Spanish 
Fork,  badly  wounded. 

Early  in  1867,  the  continued  hostile  intentions  of  the  Indians  were 
announced  in  the  massacre  of  James  P.  Petersen,  his  wife  and  daugh- 
ter, near  Glenwood,  Sevier  county,  who  were  mutilated  in  the  most 
horrible  manner.  The  vigilance  of  the  militia  of  these  counties,  assist- 
ed by  detachments  from  counties  as  far  north  as  Salt  Lake  and  Davis, 
so  far  held  the  Indians  in  check  that  during  the  entire  year  there 
were  only  three  other  citizens  killed  and  three  of  the  militia,  viz.: 
Lewis  Lund,  James  Meek  and  Andrew  Johansen,  and  Major  John  W. 
Vance,  Sergeant  Heber  C.  Houtz  and  Private  John  Hay. 
•  In  consequence  of  these  Indian  raids  and  massacres  the  counties  of 
Piute  and  Sevier  were  entirely  abandoned,  as  well  as  the  settlements 
of  Berrysville,  Winsor,  Upper  and  Lower  Kanab,  Shunesburg,  Spring- 
dale  and  Northup,  and  many  ranches  in  Kane  county,  also  the  set- 
tlements of  PangWitch  and  Fort  Sandford,  in  Iron  county. 

FOREIGN  MISSIONS. 

Joseph  Smith,  the  Prophet,  enjoined  upon  the  Twelve  Apostles  that 
they  should  preach  the  gospel  to  all  the  nations  of  the  earth,  and 
wherever  they  could  not  go,  to  send  the  same,  that  all  nations  might 
be  faithfully  warned  of  the  restoration  of  the  everlasting  gospel  in  all 
its  purity  and  fulness  for  the  salvation  of  mankind,  and  the  near  advent 
of  the  Messiah,  preparatory  to  the  introduction  of  His  reign  of  right- 
eousness upon  the  earth. 

ENGLAND. — In  June,  1837,  Elders  Heber  C.  Kimball,  Orson  Hyde, 
Willard  Richards,  Joseph  Fielding  and  three  others  wont  to  England 
and  opened  the  door  of  the  gospel  to  Great  Britain,  commencing  their 
labors  in  Preston,  Lancashire,  and  extended  them  to  different  parts  of 
the  kingdom,  where  they  baptized  about  fifteen  hundred  persons.  Elders 
Kimball  and  Hyde  returned  to  America  in  April,  1838,  leaving  Elders 
Joseph  Fielding  and  Willard  Richards  in  charge  of  the  Mission. 

In  1840,  President  Brigham  Young,  Heber  C.  Kimball,  Parley  P.  Pratt, 
Orson  Pratt,  John  Taylor,  Wilford  Woodruff  and  George  A.  Smith,  of  the 
Quorum  of  the  Twelve  Apostles,  proceeded  to  England  and  ordained 
Willard  Richards  an  apostle,  he  having  been  previously  called  to  that 
office  by  revelation.  They  preached  one  year  and  fourteen  days,  and  estab- 
lished branches  of  the  Church  in  many  of  the  principal  cities  from  London 
to  Edinburgh.  They  established  a  printing  office  and  an  emigration 
agency,  published  the  Book  of  Mormon,  Doctrine  and  Covenants  and 
Hymn  book,  and  issued  sixty  thousand  pamphlets  and  the  first  volume 


26  ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS. 


of  the  Millennial  S  <>r.  Seven  of  the  Apostles  returned,  leaving  Elder 
Parley  P.  Pratt  to  preside  over  the  Mission. 

.Palestine. — In  1841,  Elder  Orson  Hyde,  went  on  a  mission  to  Jeru- 
salem. He  remained  in  Bavaria  until  he  acquired  the  German  language 
and  published  a  pamphlet  which  he  was  not  allowed  to  circulate  openly. 
He  traveled  through  the  Austrian  and  Turkish  empires,  visiting  Jerusalem; 
finding  the  laws  of  all  these  countries  so  prescriptive  as  to  prevent  him 
from  publishing  or  preaching  the  Gospel,  he  returned  to  Nauvoo  in  1842. 

Pacific  Isles.— In  October,  1843,  Elders  Noah  Rogers,  Addison  Pratt, 
Ben.  F.  Grouard  and  Knowlton  F.  Hanks  started  on  a  mission  to  the 
Pacific  Isles.  Elder  Philip  B.  Lewis  paid  their  passage  as  a  donation  to 
the  Mission.  Knowlton  F.  Hanks  died  of  consumption  and  was  buried 
in  the  sea,  the  other  three  reached  the  Society  Islands  and  were  successful 
in  establishing  the  Gospel  and  in  baptizing  upwards  of  twelve  hundred  of 
the  natives.  Elder  James  S.  Brown,  Alva  Hanks,  -  -  Whittaker  and 
others  subsequently  followed  to  these  islands,  and  continued  their  labors 
with  commendable  zeal  and  uniform  success  until  the  establishment  of 
the  French  Protectorate ;  after  which  the  French  authorities  expelled  the 
Elders  from  the  Islands,  and  prohibited  them  from  ever  returning,  and 
compelled  the  native  converts  to  discontinue  their  worship.  This  ocurred 
in  the  year  1851. 

Notwithstanding  the  constant  scenes  of  persecution  and  the  distress 
incident  thereto  which  the  Saints  in  Illinois  endured,  after  the  return  of 
the  Twelve  from  England,  Elders  were  constantly  sent  to  preside  over  the 
conferences  abroad,  strengthen  and  encourage  the  native  Elders  and 
extend  the  work  of  the  ministry. 

Elder  Wilford  Woodruff' went  to  England  in  1844,  and  presided  over 
the  British  mission.  Upon  hearing  of  the  exodus  of  the  Church  from 
Nauvoo,  he  returned  in  1846 ;  when  Elders  Orson  Hyde,  Parley  P.  Pratt 
and  John  Taylor  were  sent  to  England.  They  returned  early  in  1847  to 
Council  Bluffs,  where  they  found  the  Saints  encamped. 

At  the  October  Conference,  in  1849,  several  of  the  Twelve  Apostles  and 
other  Elders  were  sent  on  missions. 

France — Elder  John  Taylor  visited  Paris  and  established  a  small 
branch  of  the  Church,  and  had  the  Book  of  Mormon  translated  into  the 
French  language  and  published  an  edition  of  the  same,  but  the  stringency 
of  the  laws  prohibited  public  meetings  and  measurably  tied  his  hands. 
He  also  published  a  volume  of  a  periodical  entitled,  Etoile  du  Deseret. 
The  work  was  continued  in  France  by  Elders  C.  E.  Bolton  and  L.  E. 
Bertrand  until  the  latter  was  prohibited  by  the  Prefect  of  Police  from 
preaching  the  Gospel  or  attending  meetings. 

Germany. — Elder  Taylor  also  visited  Hamburg,  and  procured  the  trans- 
lation and  publication  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  in  the  German  language, 
and  a  few  numbers  of  a  periodical  entitled  Ziorts  Panier.  In  Germany, 
the  mission  was  continued  by  Elder  Daniel  Cam,  until  expelled  by  the 
authorities  of  the  free  city  of  Hamburg.  Subsequently,  Elders  George  C. 


ANSWERS  TO   QUESTIONS.  27 


Riser,  J.  F.  Secrist  and  George  Mayer  were  imprisoned  and  expelled  the 
Confederation  for  attempting  to  preach. 

Switzerland  and  Italy. — Elder  Lorenzo  Snow  proceeded  to  Switzerland 
and  Italy,  and  established  branches  of  the  Church  and  published  the 
Book  of  Mormon  in  the  Italian  language,  also  pamphlets  in  the  Italian 
and  French  languages.  In  these  labors  he  was  assisted  by  Elder  Joseph 
Toronto,  from  Utah,  and  Elders  T.  B.  H.  Stenhouse  and  Jabez  Woodard, 
from  the  British  mission.  Elder  Stenhouse  published  a  periodical, 
entitled  Le  Reflecteur,  in  French.  Subsequently,  the  Swiss  mission  was 
continued  by  Elders  Daniel  Tyler  and  John  L.  Smith.  Elder  Tyler 
commenced  the  publication  of  the  Darsteller  in  the  German  language, 
which  was  continued  by  Elder  John  L.  Smith,  on  his  first  mission.  On 
his  last  mission  Elder  Smith  published  The  Reform  in  German.  He  also 
translated  and  published,  in  the  French  language,  Elder  Parley  P.  Pratt's 
Marriage  and  Morals  in  Utah.  An  edition  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  in 
German  was  also  published  from  the  stereotype  plates.  Some  of  the 
Cantons  would  not  allow  publishing,  but  allowed  preaching;  others 
prohibited  preaching,  but  would  allow  publishing,  and  some  would  not 
allow  either. 

Scandinavia. — Elder  Erastus  Snow  arrived  in  Copenhagen,  Denmark, 
in  June,  1F50,  and  in  September  a  branch  of  the  Church  was  organized, 
which  numbered  fifty  members.  Elder  Snow  was  accompanied  by  Elders 
P.  O.  Hansen  and  John  E.  Forsgren ;  the  latter  proceeded  to  Sweden  and 
endeavored  to  introduce  the  work  there,  but  was  summarily  banished. 
In  1851,  Elder  Snow  had  the  Book  of  Mormon  translated  and  commenced 
the  publication  of  the  Skandinavien  Stjerne.  He  also  baptized  and 
ordained  three  mechanics  from  Iceland,  and  sent  them  to  their  native 
land  to  preach  the  Gospel.  In  February,  1852,  the  Book  of  Doctrine  and 
Covenants  and  a  large  edition  of  the  Hymn  Book  were  published,  also  a 
pamphlet  of  fifty  pages,  entitled  A  Voice  from,  the  Land  of  Z  ion. 

Chili.— In  1851,  Elders  Parley  P.  Pratt  and  Rufus  Allen  went  on  a 
mission  to  Chili,  where  they  remained  several  months,  not  having  the 
opportunity  of  even  teaching  in  private,  except  in  violation  of  the  most 
rigid  laws.  They  were  obliged  to  return  to  California,  where  Elder  Pratt 
continued  to  preach  and  publish  until  he  returned  to  Utah. 

Australia.— In  1840,  Elder  George  A.  Smith  ordained  William  Barrett 
an  Elder,  at  Burslem,  England,  and  set  him  apart  to  a  mission  to  South 
Australia.  Elder  Barrett  proceeded  thither  and  commenced  teaching  the 
principles  of  the  Gospel  and  was  enabled  to  sow  the  good  seed  which 
afterwards  bore  fruit. 

Elders  John  Murdoch  and  C.  W.  Wandell  arrived  M  Sydney,  Australia, 
in  October,  1851,  and  commenced  to  preach  and  publish  concerning  the 
Latter-day  Work,  and  in  January,  1852,  organized  a  branch  of  the  Church 
in  Sydney,  and  published  a  pamphlet  on  the  persecutions  endured  by  the 
Latter-day  Saints,  and  a  periodical  entitled,  Zion's  Watchman. 

Elders  Augustus  Farnham,  William  Hyde,  Burr  Frost,  Josiah  W. 
Fleming  and  others  landed  at  Sydney  early  in  1853.  These  missionaries 


28  ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS. 


extended  their  labors  to  Van  Dieman's  Land  and  New  Zealand,  and 
continued  the  publication  of  Zion's  Watchman. 

Prussia.— In  January,  1853,  Elders  Orson  Spencer  and  Jacob  Houtz 
arrived  in  Berlin,  Prussia,  but  found  that  it  was  impossible  to  preach  or 
publish  the  truth  of  the  Latter-day  Work  in  consequence  of  religious 
intoleration.  These  Elders  wrote  to  the  King's  Minister  of  Public  Wor- 
ship for  permission  to  preach,  but  were  immediately  summoned  before 
the  police  court  and  catechised  as  to  the  object  of  their  mission.  They 
were  ordered  to  leave  the  kingdom  next  morning,  under  penalty  of  trans- 
portation. 

Gibraltar.—  Elders  Edward  Stevenson  and  N.  T.  Porter  arrived  in 
Gibraltar  in  March,  1853,  and  were  immediately  summoned  to  appear 
before  the  police  and  establish  their  right  to  remain  on  the  Bock.  Elder 
Porter  was  required  to  leave,  but  Elder  Stevenson  having  been  born  there 
maintained  his  right  to  remain,  but  the  Governor  forbade  his  preaching 
"Mormonism."  He,  however,  remained  over  a  year  and  baptized  several 
amidst  threats,  prohibitions  and  constant  opposition.  He  also  endeavored 
to  open  up  the  work  in  Spain,  but  was  not  permitted  by  the  authorities. 

Hindostan.— Elders  Nathaniel  V.  Jones,  Robert  Skelton,  Samuel  A. 
Woolley,  William  Fotheringham,  Richard  Ballantyne,  Truman  Leonard, 
Amos  Milton  Musser,  Robert  Owen,  and  William  F.  Carter  arrived  in 
Calcutta  and  held  a  Conference  there  April  29th,  1853.  The  Hindostanee. 
missionaries  extended  their  labors  throughout  India  as  the  way  opened  ; 
but  rinding  the  Hindostan ees  destitute  of  honesty  and  integrity,  insomuch 
that  when  converted  and  baptized  they  would  for  a  few  pice  join  any 
other  religion,  and  finding  the  Europeans  so  aristocratic  that  they  were 
hardly  approachable,  they  left  the  country,  after  having  traveled  to  all 
the  principal  stations  in  India,  where  frequently  they  were  ordered  out  of 
cantonments  and  had  to  sleep  in  the  open  air,  exposed  to  that  sickly 
climate,  to  poisonous  reptiles  and  to  wild  beasts.  Elder  William  Willes, 
from  England,  had  traveled  up  the  Ganges  and  visited  Simla,  and  Elder 
Hugh  Findlay,  irom  the  British  mission,  labored  in  Bombay  and  the 
adjacent  country. 

China. — Elders  Hosea  Stout,  Chapman  Duncan  and  James  Lewis  were 
sent  to  China.  They  reached  Hong  Kong  April  27, 1853,  but  owing  to  the 
revolution  spreading  through  that  country,  they  were  unable  to  go  else- 
where. The  inhabitants  told  them  that  they  had  not  time  to  "talka" 
religion.  The  way  soon  opened  for  them  to  return  to  San  Francisco, 
which  they  did  in  August. 

Siam.— The  missionaries  sent  in  the  Fall  of  1852,  to  Siam,  rinding  it 
impossible  to  ship  Anther  from  San  Francisco,  accompanied  the  Hindo- 
stanee missionaries  to  Calcutta,  where,  in  consequence  of  the  war  in 
Burmah,  they  learned  that  the  overland  route  to  Siam  was  interrupted, 
when  Elders  Chauncey  W.  West  and  Franklin  Dewey  concluded  to  go  to 
Ceylon,  and  Elders  El  am  Luddington  and  Levi  Savage  to  Siam,  by  way 
of  Burmah. 

Ceylon. — The  Ceylon  missionaries  encountered  much  opposition,  partly 


ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS.  29 


caused  by  the  circulation  of  a  large  number  of  tracts  from  Europe 
containing  misrepresentations  and  lies.  At  Galle  the  newspapers  advised 
the  people  not  to  receive  "Mormon"  missionaries  into  their  houses  lest 
they  should  become  partakers  of  their  evil  deeds,  which  counsel  was 
implicitly  obeyed.  The  missionaries  had  an  introduction  to  a  gentleman 
living  at  Columbo,  seventy  miles  distant  and  proceeded  thither.  Elder 
Dewey  sacrificed  his  watch  to  get  a  little  something  to  eat.  On  their 
return  they  passed  through  thirty- seven  towns,  and  witnessed  the 
immoral  practices  and  social  degradation  of  the  inhabitants.  They  visited 
high  and  low,  priest  and  people,  but  they  would  neither  open  their  doors 
for  preaching,  nor  feed  the  missionaries,  without  being  well  paid. 

Elder  Savage  remained  in  Burmah  nearly  two  years,  without  being  able 
to  establish  a  branch.  Elder  Luddington  proceeded  to  Bankok,  Siam, 
where  he  was  stoned  and  rejected. 

South  Africa.— In  1853,  Elders  Jesse  Haven,  William  Walker,  and 
Leonard  I.  Smith  arrived  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  The  first  three 
meetings  held  in  Cape  Town  were  broken  up  by  rioters.  Elders  Smith 
and  Walker  went  into  the  country,  where  they  obtained  a  foothold  and 
commenced  to  baptize.  Elder  Haven  remained  and  preached  amid  much 
opposition  and  raised  up  a  branch  of  the  Church.  Elder  Walker  proceeded 
to  Fort  Beaufort  and  baptized  several.  Elder  Smith  labored  around  Fort 
Elizabeth  and  organized  a  small  conference. 

Sandwich  Isles. — In  the  Fall  of  1850,  a  number  of  Elders  were  sent  to 
the  Sandwich  Islands.  After  laboring  till  April,  1851,  the  President  of 
the  mission  and  others  concluded  to  leave.  But  Elder  George  Q.  Cannon 
and  several  Elders  remained,  and,  after  acquiring  the  language,  baptized 
hundreds.  Elder  Cannon  translated  and  published  an  edition  of  the 
Book  of  Mormon  in  the  Hawaiian  language. 

West  Indies. — Elders  Aaron  F.  Fan*,  Darwin  Richardson,  Jesse  Turpin 
and  A.  B.  Lambson  landed  at  Jamaica,  in  the  West  Indies,  January  10th, 
1853.  They  called  upon  the  American  consul,  Mr.  Harrison,  who  advised 
them  to  hire  a  hall  and  announce  public  preaching,  as  the  laws  extended 
toleration  to  all  sects,  which  they  accordingly  did  ;  but  a  mob  numbering 
one  hundred  and  fifty  persoas,  gathered  around  the  building  and  threat- 
ened to  tear  it  down  were  these  polygamists,  as  they  termed  the  Elders, 
permitted  to  preach  therein.  Unless  the  Elders  could  give  security  for 
the  price  of  the  hall  the  landlord  objected  to  their  holding  meeting.  The 
Elders  informed  him  that  they  were  not  there  to  enforce  their  principles 
upon  the  people — to  quell  mobs,  nor  to  protect  property,  but  to  preach  the 
Gospel  of  Jesus  Chrish  to  those  who  were  willing  to  hear.  The  Elders  got 
away  from  the  Island  safely,  though  while  they  remained  they  had  to 
run  the  gauntlet,  and  two  of  them  were  shot  at  by  a  negro. 

British  Guiana. — Elders  James  Brown  and  Elijah  Thomas,  missionaries 
to  British  Guiana,  shipped  from  San  Diego,  California,  to  Panama,  thence 
to  Chagres  and  Aspinwall.  From  the  latter  port,  unable  to  ship  for 
British  Guiana,  they  embarked  for  Jamaica.  After  conferring  with  the 
West  India  missionaries,  they  concluded  to  embark  with  them  for  Barba- 
does,  being  still  unable  to  ship  for  the  point  of  their  destination.  After 


30  ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS. 


paying  their  passages  they  were  not  allowed  to  proceed  thither;  the 
prejudice  was  so  great  against  the  Elders  that  the  harbor  agent  or  naval 
officers  would  not  allow  them  to  be  shipped  to  any  English  island.  As 
the  only  alternative  they  proceeded  to  New  York  with  the  West  India 
missionaries,  where  they  all  landed  in  February,  1853,  and  labored  in  the 
United  States,  except  Elder  Darwin  Richardson,  who  went  to  England 
and  labored  there. 

Malta.— In  1853,  Elder  James  F.  Bell  was  sent  from  England  to  Malta, 
where  several  were  baptized.  Upon  -the  breaking  out  of  the  Crimean  war, 
the  interest  in  the  work  was  broken  off,  still  a  few  of  the  soldiers  in  the 
British  regiments  that  landed  there  obeyed  the  Gospel.  There  originated 
from  this  mission  three  branches  of  the  Church,  viz.:  one  in  Florianna, 
Malta;  a  fc<  ond  called  the  "floating  branch,"  in  the  Mediterranean 
which  consisted  of  sailors  belonging  to  Her  British  Majesty's  ships  the 
:  lopiion,  Trafalgar.  Vengeance  and  Brittania;  a  third,  the  expedi- 
tionary force  branch  in  the  Crimea;  the  latter  consisted  of  brethren 
belonging  to  the  30th,  41st,  93d  and  95th  British  regiments.  A  few  of  the 
members  of  these  branches  lost  their  lives  in  the  Crimean  war. 

Elder  Orson  Pratt  was  sent  on  a  mission  to  Austria  in  April,  1864.  Ac- 
companied by  Elder  William  W.  Biter  he  proceeded  to  Vienna,  where 
they  labored  for  several  months  to  acquire  the  German  language  ;  but  in 
consequence  of  religious  intolerance  they  were  unable  to  open  the  door  for 
the  proclamation  of  the  Gospel  in  that  country. 

Immigration. — In  .those  nations  where  the  Gospel  has  been  received, 
Elders  have  been  sent  from  Utah  from  time  to  time  to  preach  and  publish 
and  to  assist  the  native  Elders  in  spreading  the  work.  A  constant  stream 
of  emigration  has  flowed  thence  to  the  Headquarters  of  the  Saints.  From 
the  European  missions  the  emigration  has  been  from^two  to  four  thousand 
persons  annually. 

The  following  interesting  article,  under  the  head  of  "ChurchTHistory," 
is  from  the  pen  of  President  Joseph|Srnith,  and  was  written  by  him  in 
1842  for  publication  in  the  Chicago^Z>emocm£.  We  copy  it  from  the 
Times  and  Seasons,  Vol.  Ill,  page  706: 

"At  the  request  of  Mr.  John  Wentworth,  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  Chicago 
Democrat,  I  have  written  the  following  sketch  of  the  rise,  progress,  persecu- 
tion, and  faith  of  the  Latter-day  Saints,  of  which  I  have  the  honor,  under  God, 
of  being  the  founder.  Mr.  Wentworth  says,  that  he  wishes  to  furnish  Mr. 
Bastow,  a  friend  of  his,  who  is  writing  the  history  of  New  Hampshire,  with 
this  document.  As  Mr.  Bastow  has  taken  the  proper  steps  to  obtain  correct 
information,  all  that  I  shall  ask  at  his  hands  is,  that  he  publish  the  account 
entire,  ungarnished,  and  without  misrepresentation. 

"  I  was  born  in  the  town  of  Sharon,  Windsor  county,  Vermont,  on  the  23d  of 
December,  A.  D.  1805.  When  ten  years  old,  my  parents  removed  to  Palmyra, 
New  York,  where  we  resided  about  four  years,  "and  from  thence  we  removed  to 
the  town  of  Manchester. 

"  My  father  was  a  farmer  and  taught  me  the  art  of  husbandry.  When  about 
fourteen  years  of  age  I  began  to  reflect  upon  the  importance  of  being  prepared 
for  a  future  state,  and,  upon  enquiring  the  plan  of  salvation,  I  found  that  there 
was  a  great  clash  in  religious  sentiment;  if  I  went  to  one  society  they  referred 
me  to  one  plan,  and  another  to  another ;  each  one  pointing  to  his  own  particular 
creed  as  the  summum  bonum  of  perfection.  Considering  that  all  could  not  be 
right,  and  that  Grod  could  not  be  the  author  of  so  much  confusion,  I  deter- 


ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS.  31 


mined  to  investigate  the  subject  more  fully,  believing  that  if  God  had  a  church 
it  would  not  be  split  up  into  factions,  and  that  if  ho  taught  one  society  to 
worship  one  way,  and  administer  in  one  set  of  ordinances,  he  would  not 
teach  another  principles  which  were  diametrically  opposed.  Believing  the 
word  of  God,  I  had  confidence  in  the  declaration  of  James,  'If  any  man  lack 
wisdom,  let  him  a-k  of  God,  who  giveth  to  all  men  liberally  and'upbraideth 
not,  and  it  shall  be  given  him,'  I  retired  to  a  secret  place  in  a  grove  and  began 
to  call  upon  the  Lord.  While  fervently  engaged  in  supplication,  my  mind  was 
taken  away  from  the  objects  with  which  I  was  surrounded,  and  I  WHS  enwrap- 
ped in  a  heavenly  vision,  and  saw  two  glorious  personages  who  exactly 
resembled  each  other  in  features  and  likeness,  surrounded  with  a  brilliant 
light  which  eclipsed  the  sun  at  noon-day.  They  told  me  that  all  religious 
denominations  were  believing  in  incorrect  doctrines,  and  that  none  of  them 
was  acknowledged  of  God  as  His  church  and  kingdom.  And  I  was  expressly 
commander)  to  'go  not  after  them ; '  at  the  same  time  receiving  a  promise  that 
the  fulness  of  the  gospel  should  at  some  future  time  be  made  known  unto  me. 

"On  the  evening  of  the  21st  of  September,  A.  D.  1823,  while  I  was  praying 
unto  God,  and  endeavoring  to  exercise  faith  in  the  precious  promises  ot  scrip- 
ture, on  a  sudden  a  light  like  that  of  day,  only  of  a  far  purer  and  more  glorious 
appearance  and  brightness,  burst  into  the  room,  indeed  the  first  sight  was  as 
though  the  house  was  filled  with  consuming  fire;  the  appearance  produced  a 
shock  that  affected  the  whole  body  ;  in  a  moment  a  p>  rsonage  stood  before  me 
surrounded  with  a  glory  yet  greater  than  that  with  which  I  was  already  sur- 
rounded. This  messenger  proclaimed  himself  to  be  an  angel  of  God,  sent  to 
bring  the  joyful  tidings,  that  the  covenant  which  God  made  with  ancient 
Israel  was  ar  hand  to  be  fulfilled,  that  the  preparatory  work  for  the  second 
coming  of  the  Messiah  was  speedily  to  commence;  that  the  time  was  at  hand 
for  the  gospel,  in  all  its  fulness,  to  be  preached  in  power  unto  all  nations,  that 
a  people  might  be  prepared  for  the  millennial  reign. 

"I  was  informed  that  I  was  chosen  to  be  an  instrument  in  the  hands  of  God 
to  bring  about  some  ^f  his  purposes  in  this  glorious  dispensation. 

"I  was  also  infoimed  concerning  the  aboriginal  inhabitants  of  this  country, 
and  shown  who  they  were,  and  from  whence  they  came;  a  brief  sketch  of 
their  origin,  progress,  civilization,  laws,  governments,  of  their  righteousness 
and  iniquity,  and  the  blessings  of  God  being  finally  withdrawn  from  them  as  a 
people  was  made  known  unto  me.  I  was  also  told  where  there  were  deposited 
some  plates  on  which  were  engraven  an  abridgement  of  the  records  of  the 
ancient  prophets  that  had  existed  on  this  continent.  The  angel  appeared  to  me 
three  times  the  same  night  and  unfolded  the  same  things.  After  having 
received  many  visits  from  the  anuels  of  God  unfolding  the  majesty  and  glory 
of  the  events  that  should  transpire  in  the  last  days,  on  the  morning  of  the 
22d  of  September,  A.  D.  1827,  the  angel  of  the  Lord  delivered  the  records  into 
my  hands. 

"  These  records  were  engraven  on  plates  which  had  the  appearance  of  gold, 
each  plate  was  six  inches  wide  and  eight  inches  long  and  not  quite  so  thick  as 
common  tin.  They  were  filled  with  engravings,  in  Egyptian  characters  and 
bound  together  in  a  volume,  as  the  leaves  of  a  book  with  three  rin#s  running 
through  the  whole.  The  volume  was  something  near  six  inches  in  thickness, 
a  part  of  which  was  sealed.  The  characters  on  the  unsealed  part  were  small 
and  beautifully  engraved.  The  whole  book  exhibited  many  marks  of  antiquity 
in  its  construction  and  much  skill  in  the  art  of  engraving.  With  the  records 
was  found  a  curious  instrument,  which  the  ancients  called  'UiJ;M  and  Thuin- 
mlm,'  which  consisted  of  two  transparent  stones  set  in  the  run  of  a  bow 
fastened  to  a  breast-plate. 

"Through  the  medium  of  the  Urim  and  Thummim  I  translated  the  record, 
by  the  gift  and  power  of  God. 

"In  this  important  and  interesting  book  the  history  of  ancient  America  is 
unfolded,  from  its  first  settlement  by  a  colony  that  came  from  the  tower  of 
Babel  at  the  confusion  of  languages,  to  the  beginning  of  the  fifth  century  of  the 
Christian  era.  We  are  informed  by  these  records  that  America  in  ancient 
times  had  been  inhabited  by  two  distinct  races  of  people.  The  first  were  called 
Jaredites,  and  came  directly  from  the  tower  of  Babel.  The  second  race  came 
directly  from  the  city  of  Jerusalem,  about  six  hundred  years  before  Christ. 
They  were  principally  Israelites,  of  the  descendants  of  Joseph.  The  Jaredites 
were  destroyed  about  the  time  that  the  Israelites  came  from  Jerusalem,  who 


32  ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS. 


succeeded  them  in  the  inheritance  of  the  country.  The  principal  nation  of  the 
second  race  fell  in  battle  towards  the  close  of  the  fourth  century.  The  remnant 
are  the  Indians  that  now  inhabit  this  country.  This  book  also  tells  us  that  our 
Savior  made  his  appearance  upon  this  continent  after  his  resurrection,  that  he 
planted  the  gospel  here  in  all  its  fulness,  and  richness,  and  pow"er,  and 
blessing;  that  they  had  apostles,  prophets,  pastors,  teachers  and  evangelists; 
the  same  order,  the  same  priesthood,  the  same  ordinances,  gifts,  powers  and 
blessings  as  were  enjoyed  on  the  eastern  continent;  that  the  people  were  cut 
off  in  consequence  of  their  transgressions ;  that  the  last  of  their  prophets  who 
existed  among  them  was  commanded  to  write  an  abridgement  of  their  pro- 
phesies, history,  etc.,  and  to  hide  it  up  in  the  earth,  and  that  it  should  come 
forth  and  be  united  with  the  Bible  for  the  accomplishment  of  the  purposes  of 
God  in  the  last  days.  For  a  more  particular  account  I  would  refer  to  the  Book  of 
Mormon,  which  can  be  purchased  at  Nauvoo,  or  from  any  of  our  traveling  elders. 

"As  soon  as  the  news  of  this  discovery  was  made  known,  false  reports,  mis- 
representations and  slander  flew,  as  on  the  wings  of  the  wind,  in  every  direc- 
tion ;  the  house  was  Irequently  beset  by  mobs,  and  evil  designing  persons. 
Several  times  I  was  shot  at,  and  very  narrowly  escaped,  and  every  device  was 
made  use  of  to  get  the  plates  away  from  me,  but  the  power  and  blessing  of  God 
attended  me,  and  several  began  to  believe  my  testimony. 

"  On  the  6th  of  April,  1830,  the  '  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints ' 
was  first  organized  in  the  town  of  Fayette,  Seneca  county,  State  of  New  York. 
Some  few  were  c  'lied  and  ordained  by  the  spirit  of  revelation  and  prophesy, 
and  began  to  preach  as  the  spirit  gave  them  utterance,  and  though  weak,  yet 
were  they  strengthened  by  the  power  of  God,  and  many  were  brought  to 
repentance,  were  immersed  in  the  water,  and  were  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost 
by  the  laying  on  of  hands.  They  saw  visions  and  prophesied,  devils  were  cast 
out  and  the  sick  healed  by  the  laying  on  of  hands.  From  that  time  the  work 
rolled  forth  with  astonishing  rapidity,  and  churches  were  soon  formed  in  the 
States  of  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois  and  Missouri;  in 
the  last  named  State  a  consid  erable  settlement  was  formed  in  Jackson  county ; 
numbers  joined  the  church  and  we  were  increasing  rapidly;  we  made  large 
purchases  of  land,  our  farms  teemed  with  plenty,  and  peace  and  happiness  were 
enjoyed  in  our  domestic  circle  and  throughout  our  neighborhood ;  but  as  we 
could  not  associate  with  our  neighbors— who  were  many  of  them  the  basest 
of  men,  and  had  fled  from  the  face  of  civilized  society  to  the  frontier  country, 
to  escape  the  hand  of  justice — in  their  midnight  revels,  their  Sabbath  breaking, 
horse  racing  aud  gambling,  they  commenced  at  first  to  ridicule,  then  to  persecute, 
and,  finally,  an  organized  mob  assembled  and  burned  our  houses,  tarred  and 
feathered,  and  whipped  many  of  our  brethren,  and  finally  drove  them  from 
their  habitations,  who,  houseless  and  homeless,  contrary  to  law,  justice  and 
humanity,  had  to  wander  on  the  bleak  prairies  till  the  children  left  the  tracks 
of  their  blood  on  the  prairie.  This  took  place  in  the  month  of  November,  and 
they  had  no  other  covering  but  the  canopy  of  heaven,  in  this  inclement  season 
of  the  year ;  this  proceeding  was  winked  at  by  the  government,  and  although 
we  had  warantee  deeds  for  our  land,  and  had  violated  no  law,  we  could  obtain 
no  redress. 

"  There  were  many  sick,  who  were  thus  inhumanly  driven  from  their  houses, 
and  had  to  endure  all  this  abuse  and  to  seek  homes  where  they  could  be  found. 
The  result  was,  that  a  great  many  of  them,  being  deprived  of  the  comforts  of 
life,  and  the  necessary  attendance,  died;  many  children  were  loft  orphans; 
wives,  widows;  and  husbands  widowers.  Oar  farms  were  taken  possession  of 
by  the  mob,  many  thousands  of  cattle,  sheep,  horses  and  hogs  were  taken,  and 
our  household  goods,  store  goods,  and  printing  press  and  type  were  broken, 
taken  or  otherwise  destroyed. 

"Many  of  our  brethren  removed  to  Clay,  where  they  continued  until 
1836,  three  years ;  there  was  no  violence  offered,  but  there  were  threatenings  of 
violence.  But  in  the  Summer  of  1836,  these  threatenings  began  to  assume  a 
more  serious  form ;  from  threats,  public  meetings  were  called,  resolutions  were 
passed,  vengeance  and  destruction  were  threatened,  and  affairs  again  assumed 
a  fearful  attitude.  Jackson  county  was  a  sufficient  precedent,  and  as  the 
authorities  in  that  county  did  not  interfere,  they  boasted  that  they  would  not 
in  this,  which,  on  application  to  the  authorities,  we  found  to  be  too  true,  and 
after  much  violence,  privation  and  loss  of  property  we  were  again  driven  from 
our  homes. 


ANSWERS   TO   QUESTIONS. 


"  We  next  settled  in  Cal dwell  and  Davies  counties,  where  we  made  large  and 
extensive  settlements,  thinking  to  free  "iirselves  from  the  power  of  oppression 
by  settling  in  new  counties,  with  very  few  inhabitants  in  them,  but  here  we 
were  not  allowed  to  live  in  peace,  but  in  1838  we  were  again  attacked  by  mobs; 
an  exterminating  order  was  issued  by  Governor  Boggs,  nnd  under  the  sanction 
of  law  an  organized  banditti  ranged  'hrongh  the  country,  robbed  us  of  our 
cattle,  sheep,  horses,  hogs,  etc.,  many  of  our  people  were  murdered  in  c»ld 
blood,  the  chastity  of  our  women  was  violated,  and  we  were  forced  to  sign 
away  our  property  at  the  point  of  the  sworcl,  and  after  enduring  every  indignity 
that' could  be  heaped  upon  us  by  an  inhuman,  ungodly  band  of  marauders, 
from  twelve  to  fifteen  thousand  souls,  men,  women  and  children,  were  driven 
from  their  own  firesides,  and  fr  in  lands  that  they  had  warantee  deeds  of, 
houseless,  f-iendiess  and  homeless,  (in  the  depth  of  winter,)  to  wander  as 
exiles  on  the  earth  or  to  seek  an  asylum  in  a  more  genial  clime,  and  among  a 
less  barbarou-  people. 

"Many  sickened  and  died,  in  consequence  of  the  cold  and  hardships  they  had 
to  endure  ;  many  wives  were  left  widows,  and  children  orphans,  and  destitute. 
It  would  take  more  time  than  is  allotted  me  here  to  describe  the  injustice,  the 
wrongs,  the  murders,  the  bloodshed,  the  theft,  misery  and  woe  that  have  been 
caused  by  the  barbarous,  inhuman  and  lawless  proceedings  in  the  State  of 
Missouri. 

"  In  the  situation  before  alluded  to  we  arrived  in  the  State  of  Illinois  in  1839, 
where  we  found  a  hospitable  people  and  a  friendly  home;  a  people  who  were 
willing  to  be  governed  by  the  principles  of  law  and  humanity.  We  have 
commenced  to  build  a  city  called  'Nauvoo,'  in  Hancock  county,  we  number 
from  six  to  eight  thousand  here,  besides  vast  numbers  in  the  county  around  and 
in  almost  ever  county  of  the  State.  We  have  a  city  charter  grunted  us  and  a 
charter  tor  a  Leg;ou,  the  troops  of  which  now  number  1,500,  We  have  also  a 
charter  for  a  university,  for  an  agricultural  and  manufacturing  society,  have 
our  own  laws  and  administrators,  and  possess  all  the  privileges  that  other  free 
and  enlightened  citizens  enjoy. 

."Persecution  has  not  stopped  the  progress  of  truth,  but  has  only  added  fuel 
to  the  flame:  it  has  spread  with  increasing  rapidity.  Proud  of  the  cause  which 
they  have  espoused,  and  c  nscious  of  their  innocence  and  of  the  truth  of  their 
system,  amid-t  calumny  and  reproach  have  the  elders  of  this  church  gone 
forth  and  planted  the  gospel  in  almost  every  State  in  the  Union.  It  has 
penetra'ed  our  cities,  it  has  spr  ad  over  our  villages,  and  has  Caused  thousands 
of  our  intelligent,  noble  and  patriotic  citizens  to  obey  its  divine  mandates,  and 
be  governed  bv  its  sac-ed  truths.  It  has  also  spread  into  England,  Ireland, 
Scotland  and  Wales;  in  the  year  of  1840,  when  a  few  of  our  missionaries  were 
sent,  over  five  thousand  joined  the  standard  of  truth  ;  there  are  numbers  now 
joining  in  every  land. 

"Our  missionaries  are  going  forth  to  different  nations,  and  in  Germany, 
Palestine,  New  Holland,  the  East  Indies,  and  other  places,  the  standard  of 
truth  has  been  erected  ;  no  unhallowed  hand  can  stop  the  work  from  progress- 
ing. Persecutions  may  rage,  mobs  may  combine,  armies  may  assemble, 
calumny  may  defame,  but  the  truth  of  God  will  g?  forth  boldly,  nobly  and 
independently,  till  it  has  penetrated  every  continent,  visited  every  clime,  swept 
every  co^ntrv,  and  sounded  in  every  ear,  till  the  purposes  of 'God  shall  be 
accomplished  and  the  Great  Jehovah  shall  say  the  work  is  done. 

"  We  believe  in  God,  the  Eternal  Father,  and  in  His  Son,  Jesus  Christ,  and 
in  the  Holy  Ghost. 

"  We  believe  that  men  will  be  punished  for  their  own  sins  and  not  for  Adam's 
transgression. 

"We  believe  that  through  the  atonement  of  Christ  all  mankind  may  be 
saved  by  obedience  to  the  laws  and  ordinances  of  the  Gospel. 

"We  believe  tha,  these  ordinances  are:  First,  Faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ;  second,  Repentance;  third,  Bantism  by  immersion  for  the  remission  of 
sins;  fourth,  Laying  on  of  Hands  for  the  Gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

"  We  believe  that  a  man  must  be  called  of  God,  by  '  prophesy,  and  by  laying 
on  of  hands '  by  those  who  are  in  authority  to  preach  the  gospel  and  administer 
in  the  ordinances  thereof. 

"We  believe  in  the  same  organization  that  existed  in  the  primitive  church, 
viz.:  apostles,  prophets,  pastors,  teachers,  evangelists,  etc. 


34  ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS. 


"We  believe  in  the  gift  of  tongues,  prophesy,  revelation,  visions,  healing, 
interpretation  of  tongues,  etc. 

"We  believe  the  Bible  to  be  the  word  of  God,  as  far  as  it  is  translated 
correctly;  we  also  believe  the  Book  of  Mormon  to  be  the  word  of  God. 

"We  believe  all  that  God  has  revealed,  a  1  that  He  d  >es  now  reveal,  and  we 
believe  that  He  will  yet  reveal  many  great  and  important  things  pertaini.  g  to 
the  Kingdom  of  God. 

"  We  believe  in  the  literal  gathering  of  Israel  and  in  the  restoration  of  the 
Ten  Tribes.  That  Zion  will  be  built  upon  th:s  continent.  That  Christ  will 
re'gn  personally  upon  the  earth,  and  that  the  earth  will  be  renewed  and  receive 
its  paradisaic  glory. 

"We  claim  the  privilege  of  worshipping  Almightv  God  according  to  the 
dictates  of  our  conscience,  and  allow  all  men  the  same  privilege,  let  them 
worship  how,  where,  or  what  they  may. 

"  We  believe  in  being  subject  to  kings,  presidents,  rulers  and  magistrates,  in 
obeying,  honoring  and  sustaining  the  law. 

"We  believe  in  being  honest,  true,  chaste,  benevolent,  virtuous,  a1  d  in 
in  doing  good  to  nil  mem.;  indeed  we  niav  say  that  we  follow  the  admonition  of 
Paul,  'We  believe  all  things,  we  hope  all  things,'  we  have  endured  many 
things  and  hope  to  be  able  to  endure  all  things.  If  there  is  anything  virtuous, 
lovely  or  of  good  report  or  praiseworthy,  we  seek  after  these  thing-0. 

Respectfully,  etc., 

JOSEPH  SMITH." 


ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS.  35 


REVELATION  ON  CELESTIAL  MARRIAGE, 


GIVEN  TO  JOSEPH  SMITH,  NAUVOO,  JULY  12TH,  18-43. 

. 


Verily,  thus  saith  the  Lord  unto  you,  my  servant  Joseph,  that  inasmuch 
as  you  have  inquired  of  my  hand,  to  know  and  understand  wherein  I,  the 
Lord,  justified  my  servants  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob;  as  also  Moses, 
David  and  Solomon,  my  servants,  as  touching  the  principle  arid  doctrine 
of  their  having  many  wives,  and  concubines:  Behold!  and  lo,  I  am  the 
Lord  thy  God,  and  will  answer  thee  as  touching  this  matter:  Therefore, 
prepare  thy  heart  to  receive  and  obey  the  instructions  which  I  am  about 
to  give  unto  you ;  for  all  those  who  have  this  law  revealed  unto  them, 
must  obey  the  same;  for  behold!  I  reveal  unto  you  a  new  and  an  ever- 
lasting covenant;  and  if  ye  abide  not  that  covenant,  then  are  ye  damned  ; 
for  no  one  can  reject  this  covenant,  and  be  permitted  to  enter  into  my 
glory;  for  all  who  will  have  a  blessing  at  my  hands,  shall  abide  the  law 
which  was  appointed  for  that  blessing,  and  the  conditions  thereof,  as  was 
instituted  from  before  the  foundation  of  the  world:  and  as  pertaining  to  the 
new  and  everlasting  covenant,  it  was  instituted  for  the  fulness  of  my 
glory ;  and  he  that  receiveth  a  fulness  thereof,  must,  and  shall  abide  the 
law,  or  he  shall  be  damned,  saith  the  Lord  God. 

And  verily  I  say  unto  you,  that  the  conditions  of  this  law  are  these: — 
All  covenants,  contracts,  bonds,  obligations,  oaths,  vows,  performances, 
connections,  associations,  or  expectations,  that  are  not  made,  and  entered 
into,  and  sealed,  by  the  Holy  Spirit  of  promise,  of  him  who  is  anointed, 
both  as  well  for  time  and  for  all  eternity,  and  that  too  most  holy,  by  reve- 
lation arid  commandment,  through  the  medium  of  mine  anointed,  whom 
I  have  appointed  on  the  earth  to  hold  this  power,  (and  I  have  appointed 
unto  my  servant  Joseph  to  hold  this  power  in  the  last  days,  and  there  is 
never  but  one  on  the  earth  at  a  time,  on  whom  this  power  and  the  keys  of 
this  Priesthood  are  conferred,)  are  of  no  efficacy,  virtue  or  force,  in  and 
after  the  resurrection  from  the  dead ;  for  all  contracts  that  are  not  made 
unto  this  end,  have  an  end  when  men  are  dead. 

Behold  !  mine  house  is  a  house  of  order,  saith  the  Lord  God,  and  not  a 
house  of  confusion.  Will  I  accept  of  an  offering,  saith  the  Lord,  that  is 
not  made  in  my  name  !  Or,  will  I  receive  at  your  hands  that  which  I 
have  not  appointed !  And  will  I  appoint  unto  you,  saith  the  Lord, 
except  it  be  by  law,  even  as  I  and  my  Father  ordained  unt  >  you,  before 
the  world  was!  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  I  give  unto  you  this  com- 
mandment, that  no  man  shall  come  unto  the  Father  but  by  me,  or  by  my 
word,  which  is  my  law,  saith  the  Lord ;  and  everything  that  is  in  the 
world,  whether  it  be  ordained  of  men,  by  thrones,  or  principalities,  or 
powers,  or  things  of  name,  whatsoever  they  may  be,  that  are  not  by  me, 
or  by  my  word,  saith  the  Lord,  shall  be  thrown  down,  and  shall  not 
remain  after  men  are  dead,  neither  in  rior  after  the  resurrection,  saith  the 


36  ANSWERS  TO   QUESTIONS. 


Lord  your  God ;  for  whatsoever  things  remaineth,  are  by  me  ,'  and  what- 
soever things  are  not  by  me,  shall  be  shaken  and  destroyed. 

Therefore,  if  a  man  marry  him  a  wife  in  the  world,  and  he  marry  her 
not  by  me,  nor  by  my  word  ;  and  he  covenant  with  her  so  long  as  he  is 
in  the  world,  and  she  with  him,  their  covenant  and  marriage  is  not  of 
force  when  they  are  dead,  and  when  they  are  out  of  the  world ;'  therefore, 
they  are  not  bound  by  any  law  when  they  are  out  of  the  world  ;  therefore, 
when  they  are  out  of  the  world,  they  neither  marry,  nor  are  given  in 
marriage ;  but  are  appointed  angels  hi  heaven,  which  angels  are  minis- 
tering servants,  to  minister  for  those  who  are  worthy  of  a  far  more,  and  an 
exceeding,  and  an  eternal  weight  of  glory  ;  for  these  angels  did  not  abide 
my  law,  therefore  they  cannot  be  enlarged,  but  remain  separately  and 
singly,  without  exaltation,  in  their  saved  condition,  to  all  eternity,  and 
from  henceiorth  are  not  Godsf  but  are  angels  of  God,  forever  and  ever. 

And  again,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  if  a  man  marry  a  wife,  and  make  a 
covenant  with  her  for  time  and  for  all  eternity,  if  that  covenant  is  not  by 
me,  or  by  my  word,  which  is  my  law,  and  is  'not  sealed  by  the  Holy  Spirit 
of  promise,  through  him  whom  I  have  anointed  and  appointed  unto  this 
power, — then  it  is  not  valid,  neither  of  force  when  they  are  out  of  the 
world,  because  they  are  not  joined  by  me,  saith  the  Lord,"  neither  by  my 
word  ;  when  they  are  out  of  the  world,  it  cannot  be  received  there,  because 
the  angels  ami  the  Gods  are  appointed  there,  by  whom  they  cannot  pass; 
they  cannot,  therefore,  inherit  my  glory,  for  my  house  is  a  house  of  order, 
saith  the  Lord  God. 

And  again,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  if  a  man  marry  a  wife  by  my  word, 
which  is  my  law,  and  by  the  new  and  everlasting  covenant,  and  it  is 
sealed  unto  them  by  the  Holy  Spirit  of  promise,  by  him  who  is  anointed, 
onto  whom  I  have  appointed  this  power,  and  the  keys  of  this  Priesthood; 
and  it  shall  be  said  unto  them,  ye  shall  come  forth  'in  the  first  resurrec- 
tion ;  and  if  it  be  after  the  first  resurrection,  in  the  next  resurrection  ;  and 
fthall  inherit  thrones,  kingdoms,  principalities,  and  powers,  dominions, 
all  heights,  and  depths — then  shall  it  be  written  in  the  Lamb's  Book  of 
Life,  that  he  shall  commit  no  murder  whereby  to  shed  innocent  blood, 
and  if  ye  abide  in  my  covenant,  and  commit  no  murder  whereby  to  shed 
innocent  blood,  it  shall  be  done  unto  them  in  all  things  whatsoever  my 
servant  hath  put  upon  them,  in  time,  and  through  all  eternity,  and  shall 
be  of  full  force  when  they  are  out  of  the  world  ;  and  they  shall  pass  by  the 
angels,  and  the  Gods,  which  are  set  there,  to  their  exaltation  and  glory  in 
all  things,  as  hath  been  sealed  upon  their  heads,  which  glory  shall  be  a 
fulness  and  a  continuation  of  the  seeds  forever  and  ever. 

Then  shall  they  be  Gods,  because  they  have  no  end  ;  therefore  shall 
they  be  from  everlasting  to  everlasting,  because  they  continue;  then  shall 
they  be  above  all,  because  all  things  are  subject  unto  them.  Then  shall 
they  be  Gods,  because  they  have  all  power',  and  the  angels  are  subject 
unto  them. 

Verily,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  except  ye  abide  my  law,  ye  cannot  attain 
to  this  glory  ;  for  strait  is  the  gate,  and  narrow  the' way  that  leadeth  unto 
the  exaltation  and  continuation  of  the  lives,  and  few  there  be  that  find  it, 
because  ye  receive  me  not  in  the  world,  neither  do  ye  know  me.  But  if 
ye  receive  me  in  the  world,  then  shall  ye  know  me,  and  shall  receive  your 
exaltation,  that  where  I  am,  ye  shall  be  also.  This  is  eternal  lives,  to 
know  the  only  wise  and  true  Godr  and  Jesus  Christ,  whom  He  hath  sent. 
I  am  He,  Receive  ye,  therefore,  my  law.  Broad  is  the  gate,  and  wide 
the  way  that  leadeth  to  the  death  ;  and  many  there  are  that  go  in  thereat; 
because  they  receive  me  not,  neither  do  they  abide  in  my  law. 

Verily,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  if  a  man  marry  a  wife  according  to  my 
word,  and  they  are  sealed  by  the  Holy  Spirit 'of  promise,  according  to 
mine  appointment,  and  he  or 'she  shall  commit  any  sin  or  transgression  of 
the  new  and  everlasting  covenant  whatever,  and  all  manner  of  bias- 


ANSWERS  TO   QUESTIONS.  37 


phemies,  and  if  they  commit  no  murder,  wherein  they  shed  innocent  blood 
— yet  they  shall  come  forth  in  the  first  resurrection,  and  enter  into  their 
exaltation ;  but  they  shall  be  destroyed  in  the  flesh,  and  shall  be  delivered 
unto  the  buffetings  of  Satan  unto  the  dav  of  redemption,  saith  the  Lord 
God. 

The  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  shall  not  be  forgiven  in 
the  world,  nor  out  of  the  world,  is  in  that  ye  commit  murder,  wherein  ye 
shed  innocent  blood,  and  assent  unto  my  death,  after  ye  have  received  my 
new  and  everlasting  covenant,  saith  the  Lord  God  ;  auri  he  that  abideth 
not  this  law,  can  in  no  wise  enter  into  my  glory,  but  shall  be  damned,  saith 
the  Lord, 

I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  will  give  unto  thee  the  law  of  my  Holy 
Priesthood,  as  was  ordained  by  me,  and  my  Father,  before  the  world  was. 
Abraham  received  all  things,  whatsoever  he  received,  by  revelation  and 
commandment,  by  my  word,  saith  the  Lord,  and  hath  entered  into  his 
exaltation,  and  sitteth  upon  his  throne. 

Abraham  received  promises  concerning  his  seed,  and  of  the  fruit  of  his 
loins,— from  whose  loins  ye  are,  namely,  my  servant  Joseph, — which  were 
to  continue  so  long  as  they  were  in  the  world;  and  as  touching  Abraham 
and  his  seed,  out  of  the  world  they  should  continue ;  both  in  the  world 
and  out  of  the  world  should  they  continue  as  innumerable  as  the  stars;  or, 
if  ye  were  to  count  the  sand  upon  the  sea  shore,  ye  could  not  number 
them.  This  promise  is  yours,  also,  because  ye  are*  of  Abraham,  and  the 
promise  was  made  unto  Abraham;  and  by  this  law  are  the  continuation 
of  the  works  of  my  Father,  wherein  He  glorifieth  Himself.  Go  ye,  there- 
fore, and  do  the  works  of  Abraham  ;  enter  ye  into  my  law,  and  ye  shall 
be  saved.  But  if  ye  enter  not  into  my  law,  ye  cannot  receive  the  promise 
of  my  Father,  which  He  made  unto  Abraham. 

God  commanded  Abraham,  and  Sarah  gave  Hagar  to  Abraham  to  wife. 
And  why  did  she  do  it?  Because  this  was  the  law,  and  from  Hagar 
sprang  many  people.  This,  therefore,  was  fulfilling,  among  other  things, 
the  promises.  Was  Abraham,  therefore,  under  condemnation?  Verily,  I 
say  unto  you,  Nay;  for  I,  the  Lord,  commanded  it.  Abraham  was  com- 
manded to  offer  his  son  Isaac ;  nevertheless,  it  was  written,  thou  shalt 
not  kill.  Abraham,  however,  did  not  refuse,  and  it  was  accounted  unto 
him  for  righteousness. 

Abraham  received  concubines,  and  they  bare  him  children,  and  it  was 
accounted  unto  him  for  righteousness,  because  they  were  given  unto  him, 
and  he  abode  in  my  law,  as  Isaac  also,  and  Jacob  did  none  other  things  than 
that  which  they  were  commanded ;  and  because  they  did  none  other 
things  than  that  which  they  were  commanded,  they  have  entered  into 
their  exaltation,  according  to  the  promises,  and  sit  upon  thrones,  and  are 
not  angels,  but  are  Gods.  David  also  received  many  wives  and  concu- 
bines, as  also  Solomon  and  Moses  my  servants  ;  as  also  many  others  of  my 
servants,  from  the  beginning  of  creation  until  this  time;  and  in  nothing 
did  they  sin,  save  in  those  tilings  which  they  received  not  of  me. 

David's  wives  arid  concubines  were  given  unto  him,  of  me,  by  the  hand 
of  Nathan,  my  servant,  and  others  of  the  Prophets  who  had  the  keys  of 
this  power  ;  and  in  none  of  these  things  did  he  sin  against  me,  save  in  the 
case  of  Uriah  and  his  wife;  and,  therefore,  he  hath  fallen  from  his 
exaltation,  and  received  his  portion  ;  and  he  shall  not  inherit  them  out  of 
the  world ;  for  I  gave  them  unto  another,  saith  the  Lord. 

I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  I  gave  unto  thee,  my  servant  Joseph,  an 
appointment,  and  restore  all  things;  ask  what  ye  will,  and  it  shall  be 
given  unto  you  according  to  my  word  :  and  as  ye  have  asked  concerning 
adultery, — verily,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  if  a  man  receiveth  a  wife  in  the 
new  and  everlasting  covenant,  and  if  she  be  with  another  man,  and  I 
have  not  appointed  unto  her  by  the  holy  anointing,  she  hath  committed 
adultery,  and  shall  be  destroyed.  If  she  be  not  in  the  new  and 


38  ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS. 


everlasting  covenant,  and  she  be  with  another  man»,  she  has  committed 
adultery  ;  and  if  her  husband  be  with  another  woman,  and  he  was  under 
a  vow,  he  hath  broken  his  vow,  and  hath  committed  adultery,  and  if  she 
hath  not  committed  adultery,  but  is  innocent,  and  hath  riot  broken  her 
vow,  and  she  knoweth  it,  and  I  reveal  it  unto  you,  my  servant  Joseph, 
then  shall  you  have  power,  by  the  power  of  my  Holy  Priesthood,  to  take 
her,  and  give  her  unto  him  that  hath  not  committed  adultery,  but  h'ath 
been  faithful ;  for  he  shall  be  made  ruler  over  many  ;  for  I  have  conferred 
upon  you  the  keys  and  power  of  the  Priesthood,  wherein  I  restore  all 
things,  and  make  known  unto  you  all  things  in  due  time. 

And  verily,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  that  whatsoever  you  seal  on  earth, 
shall  be  sealed  in  heaven  ;  and  whatsoever  you  bind  on  earth,  in  my 
name,  and  by  ray  word,  saith  the  Lord,  it  shall  be  eternally  bound  in  the 
heavens;  and  whosesoever  sins  you  remit  on  earth,  shall  be  remitted 
eternally  in  the  heavens ;  and  whosesoever  sins  you  retain  on  earth,  shall 
be  retained  in  heaven. 

And  again,  verily  I  say,  whomsoever  you  bless,  I  will  bless,  and  whom- 
soever you  curse,  I  will  curse,  saith  the  Lord ;  for  I,  the  Lord,  am  thy 
God. 

And  again,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  my  servant  Joseph,  that  whatsoever 
you  give  on  earth,  and  to  whomsoever  you  give  any  one  on  earth,  by  my 
word,  and  according  to  my  law,  it  shall  be  visited  with  blessings,  and  not 
cursings,  and  with  mjv  power,  saith  the  Lord,  and  shall  be  without  con- 
demnation on  earth,  and  in  heaven;  for  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  and 
will  be  with  thee  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world,  and  through  all  eternity; 
for  verily,  I  seal  upon  you  your  exaltation,  and  prepare  a  throne  for  you 
in  the  kingdom  of  my  Father,  with  Abraham  your  father.  Behold,  I 
have  seen  your  sacrifices,  and  will  forgive  all  your  sins;  I  have  seen  your 
sacrifices,  in  obedience  to  that  which  1  have  told  you  ;  go,  therefore,  and 
I  make  a  way  for  your  escape,  as  I  accepted  the  offering  of  Abraham, 
of  his  son  Isaac. 

Verily  I  say  unto  you,  a  commandment  I  give  unto  mine  handmaid, 
Emma  Smith,  your  wife  whom  I  have  given  unto  you,  that  she  stay 
herself,  and  partake  not  of  that  which  I  commanded  you  to  offer  unto 
her  ;  for  I  did  it,  saith  the  Lord,  to  prove  you  all,  as  I  did  Abraham  ;  and 
that  I  might  require  an  offering  at  your  hand,  by  covenant  and  sacrifice  : 
and  let  mine  handmaid,  Emma  Smith,  receive  all  those  that  have  been 
given  unto  my  servant  Joseph,  and  who  are  virtuous  and  pure  before  me; 
and  those  who  are  not  pure,  and  have  said  they  were  pure,  shall  be  des- 
troyed, saith  the  Lord  God  ;  for  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  ye  shall  obey 
my  voice ;  and  I  give  unto  my  servant  Joseph,  that  he  shall  be  made 
ruler  over  many  things,  for  he  hath  been  faithful  over  a  few  things,  and 
from  henceforth  I  will  strengthen  him. 

And  I  command  mine  handmaid,  Emma  Smith,  to  abide  and  cleave 
unto  my  servant  Joseph,  and  to  none  else.  But  if  she  will  not  abide  this 
commandment,  she  shall  be  destroyed,  saith  the  Lord  ;  for  I  am  the  Lord 
thy  God,  and  will  destroy  her,  if  she  abide  not  in  my  law;  but  if  she'will 
not  abide  this  commandment,  then  shall  my  servant  Joseph  do  all  things 
for  her,  even  as  he  hath  said ;  and  I  will  bless  him  ami  multiply  him, 
and  give  unto  him  an  hundred-fold  in  this  world,  of  fathers  and  mothers, 
brothers  and  sisters,  houses  and  lands,  wives  and  children,  and  crowns  of 
eternal  lives  in  the  eternal  worlds.  And  again,  verily  I  say,  let  mine 
handmaid  forgive  my  servant  Joseph  his  trespasses ;  and  then  shall  she 
be  forgiven  her  trespasses,  wherein  she  hath  trespassed  against  me ;  and 
I,  the  Lord  thy  God,  will  bless  her,  and  multiply  her,  and  make  her 
heart  to  rejoice. 

And  again,  I  say,  let  not  my  servant  Joseph  put  his  property  out  of  his 
hands,  lest  an  enemy  come  and  destroy  him  ;  for  Satan  seeketh  to  destroy ; 


ANSWERS  TO   QUESTIONS.  •  39 


for  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  he  is  my  servant;  and  behold  !  and  lo,  I 
am  with  him,  as  I  was  with  Abraham,  thy  father,  even  unto  his  exaltation 
and  glory. 

Now,  as  touching  the  law  of  the  Priesthood,  there  are  many  things  per- 
taining thereunto.  Verily,  if  a  man  be  called  of  my  Father,  as  was  Aaron, 
by  mine  own  voice,  and  by  the  voice  of  him  that  sent  me:  and  I  have 
endowed  him  with  the  keys  of  the  power  of  this  Priesthood,  if  he  do  any- 
thing in  my  name,  arid  according  to  my  law,  and  by  my  word,  he  will 
not  commit  sin,  and  I  will  justify  him.  Let  no  one,  therefore,  set  on  my 
servant  Joseph  ;  for  I  will  justify  him  ;  for  he  shall  do  the  sacrifice  which 
I  require  at  his  hands,  for  his  transgressions,  saith  the  Lord  your  God. 

Arid  again,  as  pertaining  to  the  law  of  the  Priesthood:'  If  any  man 
espouse  a  virgin,  and  desire  to  espouse  another,  and  the  first  give  her  con- 
sent; and  if  he  espouse  the  second,  and  they  are  virgins,  and  have  vowed 
to  no  other  man,  then  is  he  justified  ;  he  cannot  commit  adultery,  for  they 
are  given  unto  him;  for  he  cannot  commit  adultery  with 'that  that 
belongeth  unto  him  and  to  no  one  else;  and  if  he  have  ten  virgins  given 
unto  him  by  this  law,  he  cannot  commit  adultery,  for  they  belong  to  him, 
and  they  are  given  unto  him,  therefore  is  he  justified.  But  if  one  or  either 
of  the  ten  virgins,  after  she  is  espoused,  shall  be  with  another  man  ;  she 
has  committed  adultery,  and  shall  be  destroyed  ;  for  they  are  given  unto 
him  to  multiply  and  replenisn  the  earth,  according  to  my  commandment, 
and  to  fulfil  the  promise  which  was  given  by  my  Father  before  the  found- 
ation of  the  world ;  and  for  their  exaltation  in  the  eternal  worlds,  that 
they  may  bear  the  souls  of  men ;  for  herein  is  the  work  of  my  Father 
continued,  that  He  may  be  glorified. 

And  again,  verily,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  if  any  man  have  a  wife  who 
holds  the  keys  of  this  power,  and  he  teaches  unto  her  the  law  of  my 
Priesthood,  as  pertaining  to  these  things,  then  shall  she  believe,  and 
administer  unto  him,  or  she  shall  be  destroyed,  saith  the  Lord  your  God  ; 
for  I  will  destroy  her;  for  I  will  magnify  my  name  upon  all  those  who 
receive  and  abide  in  my  law.  Therefore,  it  shall  be  lawful  in  me,  if  she 
receive  not  this  law,  for  him  to  receive  all  things,  whatsoever  I,  the  Lord 
his  God,  will  give  unto  him,  because  she  did  not  administer  unto  him 
according  to  my  word  ;  and  she  then  becomes  the  transgressor ;  and  he  is 
exempt  from  the  law  of  Sarah,  who  administered  unto  Abraham  according 
to  the  law,  when  I  commanded  Abraham  to  take  Hagar  to  wife.  And 
now,  as  pertaining  to  this  law,  verily,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  I  will  reveal 
more  unto  you,  hereafter;  therefore,  let  this  suffice  for  the  present. 
Behold,  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega.  Amen. 


We  make  the  following  extracts  from  a  work  published  on  "India, 
Ancient  and  Modern,"  by  David  O.  Allen,  D.  D.,  Missionary  of  the 
American  Board,  for  twenty-five  years  in  India,  etc.  They  are  published 
in  his  work  in  an  appendix  devoted  to  the  subject  of  Polygamy.  This 
subject  was  taken  into  consideration  by  the  Calcutta  Missionary  Confer- 
ence, composed  of  Missionaries  from  various  sects  of  England  and  America, 
and  including  Episcopalians,  Presbyterians,  Baptists  and  Congregation- 
alists,  in  consequence  of  the  application  of  converts  in  India,  who  had 
been  legally  married  to  several  wives  and  who  had  given  credible  evidence 
of  their  personal  piety,  to  be  admitted  into  the  church.  After  frequent 


40  ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS. 


consultations  and  much  consideration  the  Conference  unanimously  came 
to  the  following  conclusion  : 

"If  a  convert,  before  becoming:  a  Christian,  has  married  more  wives  than 
one,  in  accordance  with  the  '.-racMoe  of  the  Jewish  and  primitive  Ohri-tian 
churches,  he  shall  be  permitted  to  keep  them  all,  but  such  a  person  is  not 
eligible  to  any  office  in  the  church." 

The  arguments  which  we  quote  below  are  advanced  in  Dr.  Allen's  work 
as  a  justification  of  this  action  of  the  Conference  of  Protestant  Missionaries 
on  the  subject. 

"To  those  who  have  doubts  in  respect  to  the  intrinsic  moral  lawfulness  of 
plurality  of  wi »  es  as  t  existed  among  the  ancient  Jews,  and  who  wish  further 
to  examine  this  subject,  the  consideration  of  the  following  extracts  from  a  work 
called  'Thelyphtho'ra,'  publi  hed  anonymously*  many  years  ago  in  England, 
is  recommended.  The  author  of  t  as  woru  savs  : 

"  'The  best  and  fairest  and  indeed  the  only  way.  to  get  at  the  truth,  on  this, 
as  on  every  occasion  where  religion  is  concerned  is  to  lay  aside  prejudice,  from 
whatever  quarter  it  may  be  derived  and  Jet  the  Bible  speak  for  itself.  'Then 
we  shall  see  that  more  than  one  wife,  notwithstanding  the-;  seventh  command- 
ment, was  allowed  by  God  himself,  who,  however  others  might  take  it,  must 
infallibly  know  His  <nvn  mind,  be  perfectly  acquainted  with  His  own  will,  and 
thoroughly  understand  His  own  law.  If  He  did  no-  intend  to  allow  a  plurality 
of  wives,  but  to  prevent  and  condemn  it,  eith*  r  by  the  seventh  commandment, 
or  by  some  other  law,  how  is  it  possible  that  He  should  make  laws  for  its  regu- 
lation, any  more  than  He  should  ma^e  laws  for  the  regulation  of  theft  or 
murder?  How  is  it  conceivable  that  He  should  give  the  least  countenance  to 
it,  or  so  express  His  approbation  as  even  to  work  miracles  in  support  of  it? 
For  the  making  a  woman  fruitful  who  wa-  natura  ly  barren  must  have  been 
the  effect  of  supernatural  power.  He  blessed,  and  in  a  distil  guished  manner 
owned,  the  issue,  and  declared  it  legitimate  to  all  intents  and  purposes.  If 
this  be  not  allowance,  what  is? 

"  '  As  to  the  first,  namely,  His  making  laws  for  the  regulation  of  polygamy, 
let  us  consider  what  is  written  in  Exodus,  21:10.  If  he  (i.  e.,  the  husband)  take 
him  another  wife,  (n  t,  in  so  doi  g,  that  he  sins  against  the  seventh  command- 
ment, recorded  in  the  preceding  chapter,  but),  her  food,  her  raiment,  (r.  e.,  of 
the  first  wife),  and  her  duty  «.f  marriage,  he  shall  not  diminish.  Here  God 
positively  forbids  a  neglect,  much  more  the  divorcing  or  putting  away  of  the 
first  wife,  but  charges  no  sin  in  taking  the  second. 

"  '  Secondly.  When  Jacob  married  Rachel  she  was  barren,  and  so  continued 
for  many  years;  but  God  did  not  leave  this  as  a  punishment  upon  her  for 
marrying  a  man  -who  had  another  wife.  It  is  said,  (jenesis,  30:  22,  that  God 
remembered  Rachel ;  and  God  hearkened  unto  her,  and  opened  her  womb,  and 
she  conceived  and  bare  a  son,  and  said,  God  hath  taken  away  my  reproach. 
Surely  this  passage  of  Scriptui  e  ought  to  afford  a  complete  answer  to  those  who 
bring  the  words  of  the  marriage  bond  as  cited  by  Ohiist,  Matthew,  19:  5—'*  They 
twain  shall  be  one  flesh" — to  prove  polygamy  sinful,  and  should  lead  us  to 
construe  them,  as  by  this  instance  and  many  others  the  Lawgiver  himself 
appears  to  have  done  ;  that  is  to  say,  wheie  woman,  not  betrothed  to  another 
man,  unites  herself  in  personal  knowledge  with  the  man  of  her  choice,  let  that 
man's  situation  be  what  it  may,  they  twain  shall  be  one  flesh.  How,  other- 
wise, do  we  find  such  a  woman  as  Rachel  united  to  Jacob,  who  had  a  wife  then 
living,  praying  to  God  for  a  blessing  on  her  intercourse  with  Jacob,  and  God 
hearkening  to  her,  opening  her  womb,  removing  her  barrenness,  and  thus  by 
mirao.e  taking  away  her  reproach?  We  *lso  find  the  offspring  legitimate,  and 
inhedtors  of  the  land  of  Canaan  ;  a  plain  proof  that  Joseph  and  Benjamin  were 


*This  extraordinary  work,  though  published  anonymously,  was  generally  understood  to  be 
written  by  the  Rev.  Martin  Madan,  Chaplain  of  the  Lock  Hospital,  in  London.  He  was  a  man 
of  some  musical  talent;  he  composed  The  tunes  "Denmark"  and  "Denbigh;"  the  first  is  com- 
monly sung  to  the  hymn,  "Before  Jehovah's  awful  throne;  '  the  latter  to  that  commencing 
"From  all  that  dwell  below  the  skies.'  He  was  also  the  author  of  a  translation  of  Juvenal  & 
Persius,  with  note,  2  vols.;  "A  commentary  on  the  articles  of  Church  of  England;"  "  Thoughts 
on  Executive  Justice :"  and  "  Letters  to  Dr.  Priestly."  He  died  in  1790. 


ANSWEBS   TO   QUESTIONS.  41 


no  bastards,  or  born  out  of  la™rful  marriage. f  See  a  like  palpable  instance  of 
God's  miraculous  blessing  on  polygamy  in  the  case  of  Hannah,  1  Samuel,  i  and 
ii.  These  instances  serve  also  to  prove  that,  in  God's  account,  the  second 
marriage  is  just  as  valid  as  the  first,  and  as  obligatory  ;  and  that  our  making  it 
less  so,  is  contradictory  to  the  Divine  wisdom. 

"'Thirdly.  God  bussed  and  owned  the  issue.  How  eminently  this  was 
the  case  with  regard  to  Joseph,  see  Genesis  49:  22-26;  to  Samuel,  see  1  Samuel 
3:  15.  It  was  expressly  commanded  that  a  bastard,  or  son  of  a  woman  that 
was  with  child  by  whoredom,  should  not  enter  into  the  congregation  of  the 
Lord,  even  to  his  tenth  generation  (Deuteronomy  23:  2).  But  we  rind  Samuel, 
the  offspring  of  polygamy,  ministering  to  the  Lord  in  the  Tabernacle  at  Shiloh, 
evon  in  his  very  childhood,  clothed  with  a  linen  ephod,  before  Eli  the  priest.  See 
this  whole  history,  1  Samuel  i  and  ii.  Who,  then  can  doubt  of  Samuel's 
leg  timacy,  and  consequently  of  God's  allowance  of,  and  blessing  on,  polygamy? 
If  such  second  marriage  was,  in  God's  account,  null  and  void,  as  a  sin  against 
the  original  law  of  marriage,  or  the  seventh  commandment,  or  any  other  law 
of  God,  no  mark  of  legitimacy  could  have  been  found  on  the  issue;  for  a  null 
and  void  marriage  is  tantamount  to  no  marriage  at  all ;  and  if  no  marriage,  no 
legitimacy  of  the  issue  can  possibly  be.  Instead  of  such  a  blessing  as  Hannah 
obtained,  we  should  have  found  her  and  her  husband  Elkan ih  charged  with 
adultery,  dragged  forth,  and  stoned  to  death;  for  so  was  adultery  to  be 
punished.  All  this  furnish'  s  us  with  a  conclusive  proof,  that  the  having  more 
than  one  wife  with  which  a  man  cohabited,  was  not  adultery' in  the  sight  of 
God ;  or,  in  other  words,  that  it  nev-r  was  reckoned  by  Him  any  sin  against 
the  seventh  commandment,  or  the  original  marriage  institution,  or  any  other 
law  whatsoever. 

"  '  Fourthly.  But  there  is  a  passage  (Deuteronomy  21 :  15)  which  is  express 
to  the  poinf,  and  amounts  to  a  demonstration  of  God's  allowance  of  plurality  of 
wives.  If  a  man  have  two  wives,  one  beloved  and  another  ha'ed,  and  they 
have  borne  him  children,  both  the  beloved  and  the  hated ;  and  if  the  first  born 
be  hers  that  was  hated,  th-n  it  shall  be,  when  he  maketh  his  sons  to  inherit 
that  which  he  hath,  that  he  may  not  make  the  son  of  the  beloved  first-born 
before  the  son  of  the  hated,  which  is,  indeed  the  first-born,  by  giving  him  a 
double  portion  of  all  that  he  hath  ;  for  he  is  the  beginning  of  his  strength,  and 
the  right  of  the  first-born  is  his.  On  the  footing  of  this  law,  the  marriage  of 
both  women  is  equally  lawful.  God  calls  them  both  wive-,  and  He  cannot  be 
mistaken  ;  if  He  calls  them  so,  they  certainly  were  so.  If  the  second  wife  bore 
the  first  son,  that  son  was  to  inherit  before  a  son  born  afterwards  of  the  first 
wife.  Here  the  issue  is  expressly  deemed  legitimate,  and  inheritable  to  the 
double  portion  of  the  first-born;  which  could  not  be,  if  the  second  marriage 
were  not  deemed  as  lawful  and  valid  as  the  first. 

'"Fifthly.  To  say  that  a  plurality  of  wives  is  sinful,  is  to  make  God  the 
author  of  sin  :  for,  not  to  forbid  that  which  is  evil  but  even  to  countenance  and 
promote  it,  is  being  so  far  the  author  of  it,  and  accessory  to  it  in  the  highest 
degree.  And  shall  we  dare  to  say,  or  even  think,  that  this  is  chargeable  upon 
Him,  who  is  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  evil,  and  who  cannot  look  on 
iniquity?  (Habbakuk  1 :  13.)  God  forbid. 

"  When  God  is  upbraiding  David,  by  the  prophet  Nathan,  for  his  ingratitude 
to  his  Almighty  benefactor  (2  Samuel  xii.)  He  does  it  in  the  following  terms: — 
verse  8,— I  gave  thee  thy  master's  house,  and  thy  master's  wives  unto  thy 
bosom,  and  I  gave  thee  the  house  of  Israel  and  Judah,  and  if  that  had  been  too 
little,  I  would  moreover  have  given  thee  such  and  such  things. 

"  Can  we  suppose  God  giving  more  wives  than  one  into  David's  bosom,  who 
already  had  more  than  one,  if  it  was  sin  in  David  to  take  them  ?  Can  we 
imagine  that  G*od  would  thus  transgress  (as  it  were)  His  own  commandment  in 
one  instance,  and  so  severely  reprove  and  chastise  David  for  breaking  it  in 
another?  Is  it  not  rather  plain,  from  the  whole  transaction,  that  David  com- 
mitted mortal  sin  in  taking  another  living  man's  wife,  but  not  in  taking  the 

t  If  polygamy  was  unlawful,  then  Leah  was  the  only  wife  of  Jacob,  and  none  but  her  children 
were  legitimate.  Rachel  as  well  as  Bllhah  and  Zi  pah  were  mere  y  mistresses  and  their  chil- 
dren six  in  number  were  bastards,  the  offspring  of  adulterous  connection.  And  yet  there  is  no 
intimation  of  any  such  views  and  feelings  in  Laban  s  family,  or  in  Jacob  s  fami  y,  or  in  Jewish 
history.  Bi  hah  and  Ziipah  are  called  Jacob  s  wives  (Genesis  37:  2).  God  honored  the  sons  of 
Rache  ,  Bi  hah,  and  Zi  pah  equa..y  with  the  sons  of  Leah,  made  them  the  patriarchs  of  seven  of 
the  tribes  of  the  nation,  and  gave  them  equal  inheritance  in  Canaan.— D.  O.  ALLKN. 


42  ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS. 


widows  of  th«  deceased  Saul?  and  thus,  therefore,  though  the  law  of  God  con- 
demned the  first,  yet  it  did  not  condemn  the  second  ? 

"'Sixthly.  When  Davd  to<>k  the  wife  of  Uriah,  he  was  severely  repri- 
mari'fed  by  the  prophet  Nathan;  but  after  Uriah's  death,  he  takes  the  same 
woman,  though  he  had  other  wives  before,  and  no  fault  is  found  with  him  ;  nor 
is  he  charged  with  the  least  flaw  or  insincerity  in  his  repentance  on  that 
account.  The  chi  d  which  was  the  fruit  of  his  intercourse  with  Bathsheba, 
during  her  husband  Uriah's  life,  -  od  struck  to  death  with  his  own  hand 
(2  Samuel  12:  15.)  Solomon,  born  of  the  same  woman,  begotten  by  the  same 
man,  in  a  state  of  a  i  lurality  of  wives,  is  acknowledged  by  God  himself  as 
David'*  lawful  issue  d  Kings  5:  5,)  and  as  such  set  upon  his'throne.  The  law 
which  positively  ex<  1  uled  bastards,  or  those  born  out  of  lawful  wedlock,  from 
the  congregation  of  thi  Lord,  even  to  the  tenth  generation,  (Deuteronomy  23: 
2,)  is  wholly  inconsistent  with  Solomon  being  employed  to  build  God's  temple 
— being  the  mouth  of  the  people  to  God  in  prayer  -and  offering  sacrifices  in  the 
Temple  at  its  dedication— unless  David's  marriage  with  Bathsheba  was  a  lawful 
marriage — Solomon,  the  lawful  issue  of  that  marriage — consequently  a  pluralitv 
of  wives  no  sin,  either  again>t  the  primary  institut  on  of  marriage,  or  against 
the  seventh  commandment.  But  so  far  irorn  Solomon  being  under  any 
disqualification  from  the  law  above  mentioned,  he  is  appointed  by  God  himself 
to  build  the  Temple  (1  Kings  8:  19.)  His  prayer  is  heard,  and  the  house  is 
hallowed  (chapter  9 :  3,)  and  filled  with  such  glory,  that  the  priests  could  not 
stand  to  mini-ter  (c  apter  8:  11.)  Solo™  on,  th  refore,  as  well  as  Samuel, 
stands  as  demonstrable  proof,  that  a  child  born  under  the  ciicurnstances  of  a 
plurality  of  wives  is  no  bastard — God  himself  being  the  judge,  whose  judgment 
is  according  to  truth. 

"'A  more  striking  instance  of  God's  thoughts  on  the  total  difference  between 
a  plurality  of  wives  and  adultery,  does  not  meet  us  anywhere  with  more  force 
and  clearness  in  any  pu't  of  the  sacred  history,  than  in  the  a-.c.mnt  which  is 
given  us  of  David  ami  Bathsheba,  and  their  issue. 

"*  When  David  took  Bathsheba,  she  was  another  man's  wife,  the  child  which 
he  begat  by  her  in  that  situation  was  begotten  in  adultery — *nd  the  thing  which 
David  had  done  displeased  the  Lord  (2  Samuel  11:  27.)  And  what  was  the 
consequence?  We  are  told,  '2  Samuel  12:  1,  the  Lord  sent  Nathan  the  prophet 
unto  David.  Nathan  opened  his  commission  with  a  most  i  eautifu*  parable, 
descriptive  of  David's  cr  me  ;  this  parable  the  prophet  applies  to  the  conviction 
of  the  delinquent,  sets  it  home  upon  his  conscience,  bnn.s  him  to  repentance, 
and  the  poor  penitent  finds  mercy — h  s  life  i^  spared,  verse  13.  Yet  God  will 
vindicate  the  honor  of  His  moral  government,  and  that  in  the  most  awful 
manner — the  murder  of  Uriah  is  to  be  visit-  d  upon  David  and  his  house.  The 
sword  shall  never  depart  from  thine  house,  verse  10.  The  adultery  with  Bath- 
sheba was  to  be  retaliated  in  the  most  aggravated  manner.  Because  thou  hast 
despised  me,  and  hast  taken  the  wife  >f  U  iah  the  Hittite  to  be  'hy  wife,  thus 
saith  the  Lord,  I  will  raise  up  evil  agdnstthee  out  of  thine  own  house,  and  I 
will  take  thy  wives  and  give  them  unto  thy  neighbor  before  thine  eyes;  an<i  he 
shall  lie  with  thy  wives  in  the  sight  of  the  Sun  ;  for  thou  didst  it  secretly,  but  I 
will  do  this  thing  before  all  Israel,  and  before  the  Sun.  All  this  was  shortly 
fulfilled  in  the  rebellion  and  incest  of  Absalom,  chapter  16:  21,  22.  And  this 
was  done  in  the  way  of  judgment  on  David  for  taking  and  defiling  the  wife  of 
Uriah,  and  was  included  in  the  curses  threatened  (Deuteronomy  28:  30)  to  the 
despisers  of  God's  laws. 

"'As  to  the  issue  of  David's  adulterous  commerce  with  Bathsheba,  it  is 
written,  2  Samuel  12:  15,  The  Lord  struck  the  o.hild  that  Uriah's  wife  bare  unto 
David,  and  it  was  very  sick.  What  a  dreadful  scourge  this  was  unto  David, 
who  could  not  but  read  his  crime  in  his  punishment,  the  fol  owing  verses 
declare— wherein  we  find  David  almost  frantic  with  grief.  However  the  child's 
sickness  was  unto  death,  for,  verse  18,  on  the  -eventh  day  the  child  d  ed. 

"  '  Now  let  us  take  »  view  of  David's  act  of  taking  a  plurality  of  wives,  when, 
after  Uriah's  de>'th,  he  added  Bathsheba  to  his  other  w  ves  (verses  24,  25.)  And 
David  comforted  Bathsheba  his  wife,  and  went  in  unto  her  and  lay  with  her, 
and  she  bare  a  son,  a; >d  he  ca  led  his  name  Solomon  (that  maketh  peace  Mia 
reconciliation  or  recompense,)  and  the  Lord  loved  him.  Again  we  find 
Nathan,  who  had  been  sent  on  the  former  occa  ion,  sent  also  on  this,  but  with  a 
very  different  messnge.  And  He  (the  Lord)  sent  by  the  hand  of  Nathan  the 
prophet,  and  he  called  his  name  Jedediah  (Dilectus  Domini — Beloved  of  the 


ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS. 


Lord,)  because  of  the  Lord,—  i.  e.,  because  of  the  favor  God  had  towards  him 
(verse  24.) 

"  Let  any  read  onward  through  the  whole  history  of  Solomon  ;  l*-t  them  con- 
sider the  instances  of  God's  peculiar  favor  towards  him  already  mentioned, 
and  the  many  others  that  are  to  be  'found  in  the  account  we  have  of  him  ;  let 
them  compare  God's  dealings  with  the  unhappy  issue  of  David's  adultery,  and 
this  happy  offspring  »f  Bathsh  ha,  one  of  his  many  wives,  and  if  the  allowance 
and  approbation  or  the  latter  doth  not  as  clearly  appear  as  the  condemnation 
and  punishment  of  the  former,  surety  all  distinction  and  difference  must  be  at 
an  md,  and  tbe Scripture  itself  lose  the  force  of  its  own  evidence. 

'"Seventhly.  I  have  mentioned  the  law  being  explained  by  the  prophets. 
These  were  extraordina-y  messengers  whom  God  raised  up  and  sent  forth 
under  a  special  commission,  not  only  to  foretell  things  to  come,  but  to  preach 
to  the  peopl^,  to  hold  forth  the  law,  to  point  out  their  defections  from  it,  and  to 
call  them  to  r*ej>ent^nce,  under  the  severest  terms  of  God's  displeasure  unless 
they  obeyed.  Their  commission,  in  these  respects,  we  find  recorded  in  Isaiah 
58:  1,  'Cry  aloud,  spare  not,  lift  up  thy  voice  like  a  trumpet:  show  my  people 
ther  transgression,  and  'he  house  of  Jacob  their  sins.'  This  commission  was 
to  be  faithfully  executed  at  the  peril  of  the  prophet's  own  destruction,  as 
appears  from  the  solemn  charge  given  to  Ezekiel,  chapter  3:  18,  When  I  say  to 
the  wicked,  'Thou  shalt  surely  die,  and  thou  givest  him  not  warning,  nor 
speak-  st  to  warn  the  wicked  to  save  his  life,  the  -ame  wicked  man  shall  uie  in 
his  iniquity,  but  his  blood  will  I  require  at  thine  hand.' 

"'These  prophets  executed  their  commissions  very  unfaithfully  towards 
God  and  the  people,  as  well  as  most  <  angerously  for  themselves,  if  a  plurality 
of  wives  was  sin  against  God's  law,  for  it  was  the  common  practice  of  the 
whole  nation,  from  the  princ^  on  the  throne  to  the  lowest  of  the  people  ;  and 
yet  neither  Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  nor  any  of  (he  prophets,  bore  the  least  testimony 
against  it.  They  reproved  them  sharply  and  plainly  for  defiling  their  neigh- 
bors1 wives,  as  Jeremiah  5:  8;  29;  2:3,  in  which  fifth  chapter  we  not  only  find 
the  prophet  bearing  testimony  against  Adultery,  but  against  whoredom  and 
fornication  (verse  7,)  for  that  they  assembled  themselves  by  troops  in  ihe 
harlots'  houses  Not  a  word  again.-t  polygamy.  How  is  it  possible,  in  any 
reason,  to  think  that  this,  if  a  sin,  should  never  be  mentioned  as  such  by  God, 
by  Moses,  or  any  of  the  prophets? 

-"'Lastly.  In  the  Old  Te  lament,  plural  marriage  was  not  only  allowed  in 
all  cases,  but  in  some  commanded.  Here  for  example,  is  the  law  (l)eut.  25: 
5 — 10).  If  brethren  dwell  together,  and  one  of  them  die  and  have  no  child,  the 
wife  of  the  dead,  shall  not  marry  without  unto  a  stranger:  her  husband's 
brother  shall  go  in  unto  her,  and  take  her  to  him  to  wife,  and  perform  the  duty 
of  a  husband's  Brother  un  o  her.  And  it  shall  be  that  the  first-born  that  she 
beareth  shall  succeed  in  the  name  of  the  brwiher  which  is  dead,  that  his  name 
be  not  put  out  of  Israel,  etc. 

"  '  This  law  must  certainly  be  looked  upon  as  an  exception  from  the  general 
law  (Leviticus  18:  16,)  and  the  reason  of  it  appears  in  the  law  itself,  namely, 
'To  preserve  inheritances  in  the  families  to  which  they  belonged.' 

.  .  As  there  was  no  law  against  plurality  of  wives,  there  was  nothing  to 
exempt  a  married  man  from  the  obligation  of  marrying  his  brother's  widow. 
....  For,  let  us  suppose  that  not  only  the  surviving  brother,  but  all  the  near 
kinsmen,  to  whom  the  rr.arriage  of  the  widow  and  the  redemption  of  the 
inheritance  belonged,  were  married  men— if  that  exempted  them  from  the 
obligation  of  this  law— as  they  could  riot  redeem  the  inheritance  unless  they 
married  the  widow  (Ruth  4:  5) — the  widow  be  tempted  to  marry  a  stranger — to 
put  herself  and  the  inheritance  into  his  hands — and  the  whole  reason  assigned 
for  the  law  itse  f,  that  of  raising  up  seed  to  the  deceased,  to  preserve  the 
inheritance  in  his  family,  that  his  name  be  not  put  out  of  Israel — fall  to  the 
ground.  For  which  weighty  reasons,  as  there  was  evidently  no  law  against  a 
plurality  of  wives,  there  could  be  no  exemption  of  a  man  from  the  positive 
duty  of  this  law  because  he  was  married.  As  we  say,  Ubi  cadit  ratio,  ibi  idem 
jus." ' 

"  I  will  now  hasten  to  the  examination  of  ano'ion,  which  I  fear  is  too  common 
among  us, and  on  which  what  is  usually  said  and  thought  on  the  subject  of  a 
plurality  of  wives,  i-  for  the  most  part  built;  I  mean  that  of  representing  Christ 
as  appearing  in  the  world,  as  "a  new  lawgiver,  who  was  to  introduce  a  more 
pure  and  pe  feet  system  of  morality,  than  that  of  the  law  which  was  given  by 


44  ANSWERS  TO   QUESTIONS. 


Mose  ,"-— Thi  horrible  blasphemy  against  the  holiness  and  perfection  of  God's 
law,  as  well  as  against  the  truth  of  Christ,  who  decUi rod  that  Ho  came  not  to 
destroy  the  law,  but  to  lulfil  it— this  utter  contradiction  both  of  the  law  and  the 
Gospel— was  the  foundation  on  which  the  heritic  Soc  nus  built  all  his  other 
abominable  errors. 

"Christ  most  solemnly  declared— that  heaven  and  earth  could  sooner  pass,  than 
one  jot  or  tittle  pass  from  the  law -Think  not,  said  He,  that  I  am  come  to  de- 
stroy the  law  or  the  prophets;  I  am  not  come  to  destroy,  but  to  fulfil.  So  far 
from  abrogating  the  law*  or  rule  of  life,  which  had  been  delivered  by  the  hand  of 
Moses,  or  setting  up  a  new  law  in  opposition  to  it— He  came  into  the  world  to 
be  subject  to  it  in  all  things,  and  so  to  fulfil  the  whole  righteousness  of  it. 
Matthew  3:  15.  To  magnify  arid  make  it  honorable.  Isaiah  13:  21,  even  by 
His  obedience  untu  death.  Speaking  in  the  spirit  of  prophecy  (Psalms  40:  8.) 
He  says— Lo- I  come  in  the  volume  of  the  book  it  is  written  of  me -I  delight 
to  do  thy  will.  ()  my  God;  yea,  Thy  law  is  within  my  heart.  And  in  His  public 
ministry,  how  uniformly  doth  He  speak  the  same  thing? 

"If  we  attend  to  our  Savior's  preaching,  and  especially  to  that  heavenly  dis- 
course delivered  from  the  Mount,  we  shall  find  him  a  most  zealous  advocate  for 
the  law  of  God,  as  delivered  by  Moses.  We  sha  1  find  Him  stripping  it  of  the 
false  glosses,  by  which  the  Jewish  rabbies  had  obscured  or  perverted  its  mean- 
Ing,  and  restoring  it  to  that  purity  and  spirituality  by  which  it  reacheth  even  te 
the  thoughts  and  intnnts  of  the  heart.  For  instance,  when  He  is  about  to  enter 
upon  a  faithful  exposition  oi  the  moral  law,  lest  his  hearers  should  imagine 
that  what  He  was  about  to  say,  was  contrary  to  the  law  of  the  Old  Testament, 
being  sodifferent  from  the  teachings  of  fie  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  He  prefaces 
His  discourse  with  those  remarkable  words — Matthew  5:  17 — 20.  Think  not 
that  I  am  come  to  destroy  the  law  or  the  prophets,  I  am  not  come  to  destroy, 
but  to  fulfil;  for  verily  I  say  unto  you,  till  heaven  and  earth  pass  away,  one  jot 
or  one  tittle  shall  not  pass  from  the  law,  till  all  be  fulfilled. 

"Let  us  take  a  nearer  and  more  critical  view  of  those  passages  of  the  Gospels, 
in  which  Christ  is  supposed  to  condemn  the  plurality  of  wives  as  adultery.  The. 
first  which  I  shall  take  notice  of,  as  introductory  to  the  rest  is  Matthew  5:  31, 
32.  It  hath  been  said,  Whosoever  shall  put  away  his  wife,  let  him  give  her  a 
writing  of  divorcement.  But  I  say  unto  vou,  that  whosoever  shall  put  away  his 
wife,  saving  for  the  cause  of  fornication,  causeth  her  to  commit  adultery,  and 
whosoever  snail  marry  her  that  is  divorced,  commiteth  adultery. 

"The  next  scripture  to  be  farther  considered,  is  Matthew  19:  9.  I  say  unto  you, 
Whosoever  shall  put  away  his  wife,  (except  it  be  for  fornication)  and  shal  marry 
another,  committeth  adultery,  and  whoso  marrieth  her  which  is  put  away, 
committeth  adultery. 

"Christ  was  surrounded  at  this  time  by  a  great  multitude  of  people,  who,  in 
principle,  as  living  under  the  liw  of  the  old  Testament,  were  polyg  imists,  and, 
doubtless,  numbers  of  them  were  so  in  practice — many  there  must  have  been 
among  this  great  multitude  of  Jews,  who  had  either  married  two  wives  together, 
or  having  one,  took  another  to  her,  and  cohabited  with  both.  Had  our  Lord 
intended  to  have  condemned  such  practices,  he  would  scarcely  have  made  use 
of  words  which  did  not  describe  their  situation,  but  of  words  that  did.  It  is 
very  plain  that — He  that  putteth  away  his  wife,  by  giving  her  a  bill  of  divorce- 
ment— could  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  man  who  took  two  wives  together,  or 
one  to  another,  and  cohabited  alike  with  both  But  we  are  apt  to  construe 
scripture,  by  supi  osing  persons  to  whom  particular  things  are  said,  were  in  the 
circumstances  then,  in  which  we  are  now;  but  it  was  far  otherwise:  they  had  no 
ir'unicipal  Ja«rs  against  a  plurality  of  wives,  as  we  have.  So  far  from  it,  their 
whole  law,  (as  has  been  abundantly  proved)  allowed  it.  Which  said  law,  and 
every  part  thereof,  was,  at  the  time  Christ  spake  what  is  recorded  in  Matthew 
19:  9,  in  as  full  force  and  efficacy,  as  at  the  moment  after  Moses  had  delivered  it 
to  the  people.  He  therefore  could  no  more  state  a  plurality  of  wives  as  adultery 
by  the  law  of  Israel,  than  lean  state  it  as  high  treason  bv  the  laws  of  England. 

"Can  it  be  imagined  that  Christ,  so  remarkable  for  his  precision,  so  thoroughly 
accurate  in  all  He  said  on  every  other  point,  should  use  so  litte  in  this,  as  not  to 
make  Himself  understood  by'His  hearers?  Nay— that  He  should  observe  so 
little  precision,  as  not  to  describe  an  offense,  which  we  are  to  suppose  Him  to 
condemn?  The  most  flagrant  instances,  the  most  obvious  and  palpable  defini- 
tions of  a  pluralty  of  wives  cannot  be  understood  from  what  He  says.— He  that 
putteth  away  his  wife,  by  bill  of  divorcement,  and  marrieth  another — does  not 


ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS.  45 


describe  a  man's  taking  two  wives  together,  and  cohabiting  with  both;  nor — a 
man's  having  a  wife,  and  taking  another  to  her,  and  cohabiting  with  both.  Such 
was  the  Old  Testament  plurality  of  wives,  not  the  putting  away  one  in  order  to 
take  another. 

"Now,  if  aplurality  of  wives  were  unlawful,  and  of  course  null  and  void  before 
God,  then  was  not  Christ  legally  descended  of  the  house  and  lineage  of  David, 
but  from  a  spurious  issue,  n  t  only  in  the  instances  above-mentioned,  but  also 
in  others  which  might  be  mentioned.  So  th  »t  when  Christ  is  supposed  to  con- 
demn a  plurality  of  wives  as  ^Hulterv,  contrary  to  the  institution  of  marriage, 
and  to  the  seventh  commandment.  He  must  at  the  same  time  be  supposed  to 
defeat  his  own  title  to  the  character  of  the  Messiah,  concerning  whom  God  had 
sw  rn  to  DavH,  that  of  the  fruit  of  his  loins,  according  to  th^  flesh.  He  would 
raise  up  <  'hrist  to  sit  on  His  throne.  See  Acts  2:  30,  with  Psalms  132:  11. 

"The  lawfulness  of  a  plurality  o  wives  must  of  course  be  established,  or  the 
whole  of  <  'hnstianity  must  fall  to  the  ground,  and  Christ  not  be  He  that  was  to 
come,  but  we  must  look  for  another.  Matthew  11:  3. 

"The  learned  Seldeu  has  proved,  in  his  Uxor  Hsebraica;  that  a  plurality  of 
wives  was  allowed,  not  only  among  the  Hebrews,  but  among  most  other  nations 
throughout  the  world;  doubtless  among  the  inhabitants  of  tt-at  vast  tract  of 
Asia,  throughout  which  th  •  Gospel  was  preached  by  the  great  apostle  of  the 
Gentiles  where  so  rnanv  Christian  churches  were  planted,  as  well  as  in  the 
neighboring  »tates  of  Greece:  yet  in  none  of  St.  Paul's  epistles  nor  in  the  seven 
awful  epistles  which  St.  John  was  commanded  to  write  to  the  seven  churches  in 
Asia,  is  a  plurality  of  wives  found  amongst  the  crimes  for  which  they  were  re- 
proved. Every  other  species  of  commerce  between  the  sexes,  is  distinctly  and 
often  mentioned,  this  not  onc£  except  on  the  woman's  side,  as  Romans?:  3;  but 
had  it  been  sinful  and  against  the  law  on  the  man's  side,  it  is  inconceivable  that 
it  should  not  have  been  mentioned  on  both  sides  equally. 

"Grotius  observes,  'Among  the  Pag  m-<,  few  nations  were  content  with  one 
wife;'  and  we  do  not  find  the  apostle  making  this  any  bar  to  church-member- 
ship. Itcan  hardly  besuoposed,  that  if  a  plurality  of  wives  weresinful,  that  is 
to  say,  nn  offense  against  the  law  of  God,  the  greit  apost  e  should  be  so  liberal 
and  so  particular,  in  his  epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  in  the  condemnation  of  every 
other  species  of  illicit  commerce  between  the  sexes,  and  yet  omit  this  in  the 
black  catalogue,  chapter  6:  9,  etc.,  or  that  he  should  not  be  as  zealous  for  the 
honor  of  the  law  of  marriage,  and  of  the  sevemh  commandment,  which  was 
evidently  to  maintain  it,  as  Ezra  was  for  that  positive  law  of  Deuteronomy  7:  3. 
against  the  marrying  with  heathens.  Ezra  made  the  Jo  AS  put  away  the  wives 
which  they  had  illegally  taken,  and  even  the  very  children  which  they  had  by 
them;  how  is  it  that  Paul,  if  a  plurality  of  wives  was  sinful,  did  not  make  the 
Gentile  and  the  Jewish  converts  put  away  every  wife,  but  the  first,  and  annul 
every  other  contract. 

"No  man  could  have  a  fairer  opportunity  to  bear  his  testimony  against  a  nation- 
al sin,  than  the  Baptist  had;  for  it  is  said  (Matthew  3:  5  )  Then  went  out  to  him 
Jerusa'em  and  all  Judea,  and  all  the  region  round  about  Jordan;  and  among  the 
numbers  who  were  baptiz -d  of  him  in  Jordan,  confessing  their  sins  (verse  6.) 
there  were  many  harlots  (chapter  21:  32.)  So  that  it  is  evident  he  did  not  spare 
to  inveigh  most  sharply  against  the  sin  of  fleshly  uncleanliness;  had  a  plurality 
of  wives  been  of  this  kind,  he  doubtless  would  have  preached  against  it,  which, 
if  he  had,  sornettace  would  most  p'obably  have  been  left  of  it,  as  there  is  of  his 
preaching  against  the  sin  ot  whoredom,  by  the  harlots  being  syid  to  believe  on 
him;  which  they  ceriainly  would  not  have  done,  any  more  than  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees  (Matthew  21:  32)  if  the  preacher  had  not  awakened  them  to  a  deep  and 
real  sen>e  of  their  guilt,  by  setting  forth  the  heinousness  of  their  sin.  He  ex- 
erted his  eloquence  also  against  public  grievances,  such  as  the  extortion  of  the 
public  officers  of  the  revenue— the  publicans -tax -gatherers-  -likewise  against 
the  oppressive  methods  used  by  the  so  diery,  who  made  it  a  custom  either  to 
take  people's  goods  by  violence,  or  to  defraud  them  of  their  property,  by  extort- 
ing it  under  the  terror  of  false  accusation.  These  were  public  grievances, 
against  which  the  Baptist  bore  so  open  a  testimony,  that  the  publicans  and 
soldiers  came  to  him,  saying:  What  shall  we  do?  This  being  th^  case,  is  it  con- 
ceivable that  a  man  of  the  Baptist's  character,  who  was  so  zealous  for  the  honor 
of  the  law,  as  to  reprove  even  a  king  to  his  face  for  adultery,  should  suffer;  if  a 
plurality  of  wives  be  adultery,  a  whole  nation,  as  it  were,  of  public  adulterers, 
to  stand  before  him,  and  not  bear  the  last  testimony  against  them?  I  do  not  say 


46  ANSWERS  TO  QUESTIONS. 


this  is  a  conclusive,  but  it  is  surely  a  very  strong  presumptive  argument,  that  in 
the  Baptist's  views  of  the  matter,  a  plurality  <>f  wives,  whoredom,  and  adultery 
were  bv  no  means  the  same  thinu. 

"While  'his  system  of  a  plurality  of  wives  was  reverenced  and  observed,  we 
read  of  no  adultery,  ^hordloin,  and  common  prostitution  of  women  atmng  the 
daughters  of  Israel;  no  brothels,  street-walking,  venereal  disease;  no  child- 
murder,  and  those  other  appendages  of  female  ruin,  which  are  too  horrid  to 
particularize.  Nor  were  these  things  possible,  which,  since  the  revocation  of 
the  divine  system  ami  the  establishment  of  human  systems,  are  become  inevi- 
table. The  supposing  our  blessed  .Savior  came  to  destroy  the  divine  law,  or 
alter  it  with  respect  <o  marriage,  is  to  suppose  Him  laying  a  foundation  for  the 
misery  and  destruction  ol  the  weaker  sex.1' 

Having  given  the  above  extracts  from  the  writings  of  the  Rev.  Martin 
Madan,  in  his  "  helyphthora,"  we  now  make  the  following  extracts 
from  a  tract  published  by  the  eminent  divine,  Bishop  Burnet,  who  was 
elevated  to  the  see  of  Salisbury,  England,  by  William  III.,  and  who  is 
described  as  a  learned,  judicious  and  excellent  Bishop.  He  is  known 
principally  by  his  "Histoiy  of  the  Reformation,"  and  by  that  of  uHis  own 
Times." 

The  tract  was  written  on  the  question: 

"Is  a  plurality  of  wives  in  any  case  lawful  under  the  Gospel?" 

"Neither  is  it  [a  plurality  of  wives]  any  where  marked  among  the  blemishes 
of  th°!  patriarchs;  David's  wives,  and  store  of  them  he  had,  are  termed  by  the 
prophet,  God's  gift  to  him:  yea,  a  plurality  of  wives  was  ma<ie  in  some  •  ases  a 
duty  by  Moses'  law;— when  any  died  without  issue,  his  brother,  or  nearest  kins- 
man,was  to  tp.arry  his  wife,  for  raisin  gup. seed  to  himjand  all  wereoblig^d  to  obey 
this,  under  the  hazard  "f  inf.  my,  if  tney  refu-ed  it;  neither  is  there  any  exception's 
made  for  such  as  were  m  -rrieii.  From  whence  I  may  faithfully  conclude,  that 
what  God  made  i  ecessaiy  in  some  cases  to  any  degree,  can  in  no  case  be  sinful 
ill  itself;  since  God  is  holy  in  all  Hi-  ways. 

"But  t  is  now  to  be  examined,  if  it  is  forbidden  by  the  Gospel.  A  simple  and 
expre-s  discharge  ot  a  plurality  of  wives  is  nowhere  to  be  found. 

"It  is  tru^  our  Lord  discharge  divorces,  except  in  the  case  of  adultery, 
adding  tha*.  whosoever  puts  away  his  wife  upon  any  other  account,  commits 
adultery:  so  St.  Luke  and  St.  Matthew  in  one  pla  -e  have  it — or  commits  adul- 
tery against  her:  so  St.  Mark  has  it— -or  causes  her  to  commit  adultery:  so  St. 
Matthew  in  another  place. 

"  Kut,  says  j»n  objector,  if  it  be  adultery  then  to  take  another  woman  after  an 
unjust  divorce,  twill  folio*  th  it  the  wife  has  that  right  over  the  husband's 
bouy,  that  he  must  touch  no  other. 

"This  is  indeed  plausible,  and  it  is  all  that  can  be  brought  from  the  New 
Testament,  which  seems  convincing;  yet  it  will  not  be  found  of  weight. 

"For  it  is  to  ie  considered,  that  if  our  Lord  had  been  to  antiquate  the 
plurality  of  wiv^s,  it  being  so  deeply  rooted  in  the  men  of  that  age,  Confirmed 
by  such  fashions  and  unquestioned  precedents,  and  riveted  by  so  long  a 
practice,  he  must  have  done  it  plainly  and  authoritatively,  and  not  in  such  an 
involved  manner,  as  to  be  sought  out  of  his  words  b.y  the  search  of  logic. 

"Neither  are  these  dark  words  made  more  clear  by  any  of  the  apostles  in 
their  writings:  words  are  t  >  be  carried  no  farther  than  the  design  upon  which 
they  were  writ  en  will  lead  them  to;  so  that  our  Lord  being,  in  that  place,  to 
strike  out  divorce  so  explicitly,  we  must  not,  by  a  consequence,  condemn  a 
plura  ity  or  wives ;  since  it  seerns  not  to  have  lailen  within  the  scope  of  what 
our  Lord  Hoes  there  disapprove. 

"Therefore,  to  conclude  this  short  answer,  wherein  many  things  are  hinted, 
which  might  have  been  enlarged  into  a  volume,  I  see  nothing  so  strong  against 
a  plura  ity  of  wives,  as  to  balance  the  great  and  visible  imminent  hazards  that 
hang  over  so  many  thousands,  if  it  be  not  allowed." 

TERRITORIAL   GOVERNMENT. 

The  organization  by  Act  of  Congress  of  the  Territory  of  Utah  in  1850 
went  into  effect  in  1851.  By  the  Organic  Act  the  executive  power  of  the 
Territory  is  vested  in  the  Governor,  who  is  appointed  by  the  President  of 


ANSWERS   TO   QUESTIONS.  47 


the  United  States,  and  holds  his  office  for  four  years  and  until  his  succesors 
is  elected  and  qualified,  unless  sooner  removed  by  the  President.  Until 
1858  the  Governor  was  ex-officio  Superintendent  of  Indian  Affairs.  He 
approves  the  acts  passed  by  the  Legislative  Assembly  and  fills  all 
vacancies  occurring  in  offices  until  the  meeting  of  the  Legislature.  He  is 
Commander-in-chief  of  the  militia.  He  may  grant  pardons  for  offences 
against  the  laws  of  the  Ter/itory,  and  reprieves  for  violation  of  the  laws  of 
the  United  States  until  the  decision  of  the  President  is  known.  It  is  his 
duty  to  see  that  the  laws  are  faithfully  executed. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Territory  is  appointed  for  the  same  time  and  in  the 
same  manner  as  the  Governor.  He  records  the  laws  and  proceedings  of 
the  Legislative  Assembly  and  the  official  proceedings  of  the  Executive, 
and  transmits  copies  annually  of  the  laws  and  journals  to  the  Speaker  of 
the  House  of  Representatives,  and  the  President  of  the  Senate  for  the  use 
of  Congress,  also  to  the  President  of  the  United  States.  In  case  of  a 
vacancy  in  the  office  of  Governor  the  Secretary  becomes  Acting  Governor. 

The  Legislative  Assembly  consists  of  a  Council  composed  of  thirteen 
members,  and  a  House  of  Representatives  of  twenty-six  members.  The 
former  are  elected  for  two  years,  the  latter  for  one  year.  The  members  of 
the  Assembly  must  be  qualified  voters  in  the  districts  in  which  they 
reside.  The  apportionment  of  representation  was  made  in  the  first  instance 
by  the  Governor,  and  subsequently  by  the  Assembly,  by  giving  each 
district  representation  according  to  its  population  as  nearly  as  may  be. 
Each  branch  of  the  Assembly  elects  its  own  officers.  The  respective 
sessions  of  the  Assembly  are  limited  to  forty  days.  The  Legislative 
powers  of  the  Assembly  extend  to  all  rightful  subjects  of  legislation  con- 
sistent with  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  and  the  provisions  of 
the  Organic  Act.  Copies  of  all  laws  passed  by  the  Assembly  and  signed 
by  the  Governor  are  forwarded  to  the  presiding  officers  of  both  Houses  of 
Congress  and  if  disapproved  by  that  body  become  null  and  void. 

The  apportionment  of  the  Legislative  Assembly  is  as  follows  : 

Washington  and  Kane  counties,  one  Councilor  and  one  Representative. 

Beaver,  Iron  and  Piute  counties,  one  Councilor  and  two  Representatives. 

Millard  and  Juab  counties,  one  Councilor  and  two  Representatives. 

Sanpete  and  Sevier  counties,  one  Councilor  and  two  Representatives. 

Utah  and  Wasatch  counties,  two  Councilors  and  four  Representatives. 

Cache  and  Rich  counties,  one  Councilor  and  two  Representatives. 

Weber  and  Box  Elder  counties,  one  Councilor  and  three  Representatives. 

Davis  and  Morgan  counties,  one  Councilor  and  two  Representatives. 

Salt  Lake,  Tooele,  Summit  and  Green  River  counties,  four  Councilors 
and  eight  Representatives. 

The  Legislative  Assembly  have  held  seventeen  sessions ;  and  so  care- 
fully and  judiciously  has  the  legislation  of  the  Territory  been  conducted? 
that  Congress  has  only  exercised  the  power  of  disapproval  in  one  instance, 
and  that  for  political  effect,  designed  to  interfere  with  the  marriage  rites 
of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints.  This  is  a  record  o^ 
which  the  Territory 'may  justly  be  proud.  The  principal  body  of  the  laws, 


48  ANSWERS   TO   QUESTIONS. 

including  the  civil  and  criminal  codes  and  modes  of  procedure,  were 
passed  in  Governor  Young's  administration  and  remain  substantially. 

The  Judicial  power  of  the  Territory  is  vested  in  a  Supreme  Court,  Dis- 
trict and  Probate  Courts  and  Justices  of  the  Peace.  The  Supreme  Court  con- 
sists of  a  Chief  Justice  and  two  Associate  Justices  appointed  by  the 
President  of  the  United  States  for  the  term  of  four  years.  The  Territory 
is  divided  into  three  Judical  Districts,  one  of  the  Justices  of  the  Supreme 
Court  being  assigned  to  each  as  a  District  Judge.  The  jurisdiction  of  the 
several  courts  both  appellate  and  original  and  of  Justices  of  the  Peace  are 
as  limited  by  law;  with  the  proviso  that  Justices  of  the  Peace  shall  not 
have  jurisdiction  in  any  controversy  involving  the  title  or  boundaries  of 
land  nor  for  sums  exceeding  one  hundred  dollars. 

The  Organic  Act  requires  the  District  Judges  to  reside  in  their  districts. 
The  First  Judicial  District  includes  the  counties  of  Utah,  Wasatch,  San- 
pete,  Juab,  Millard,  Sevier  and  Pi-Ute.  The  court  is  held  at  Manti.  The 
Second  Judicial  District  includes  the  counties  of  Washington,  Kane,  Iron 
and  Beaver.  Court  is  held  at  St.  George.  The  Third  embraces  the 
counties  of  Tooele,  Salt  Lake,  Summit,  Davis,  Morgan,  Weber,  Box  Elder, 
Cache  and  Rich.  Court  is  held  at  Salt  Lake  City. 

A  Probate  Judge  is  elected  for  each  county  by  the  Legislative  Assembly. 
He  holds  office  four  years  and  has  civil,  criminal  and  surrogate  jurisdic- 
tion in  cases  arising  in  the  county.  There  are  also  elected  three  Select- 
men, a  Sheriff,  Treasurer,  Kecorder,  Superintendent  of  the  Schools  and 
Coroner.  A  Justice  of  the  Peace  and  Constable  are  elected  in  each  Precinct. 

There  are  in  Utah  thirty  incorporated  cities.  The  acts  incorporating 
Salt  Lake,  Ogden,  Provo  and  Payson  cities  are  modeled  after  that  of 
Chicago.  The  financial  policy  of  the  Territorial  Legislature,  the  County 
Courts  and  municipalities,  has  been  to  keep  free  from  debt.  Appropria- 
tions are  annually  made  by  the  Legislative  Assembly  to  defray  the 
expenses  of  the  Supreme  and  District  Courts,  and  the  Penitentiary.  All 
the  salaries  of  officers  are  low.  Appropriations  are  also  made  by  the 
County  Courts  to  defray  the  expenses  of  the  Probate  Courts  incurred  in 
criminal  cases.  The  principal  portion  of  County  and  Territorial  revenue 
being  applied  to  making  of  roads  and  the  building  of  bridges. 

Appeals  may  be  taken  from  the  Probate  Court  to  the  District  Court  and 
from  the  District  to  the  Supreme  Court.  Each  county  elects,  for  the  term 
of  three  years,  three  Selectmen,  one  going  out  of  office  and  one  being 
elected  annually.  The  Selectmen,  with  the  Probate  Judge,  form  a 
County  Court.  They  divide  the  county  into  precincts,  school  districts, 
locate  the  roads,  define  the  boundaries  of  irrigation  districts,  levy  the 
taxes,  provide  for  the  erection  and  keeping  in  repair  of  county  buildings, 
and  provide  for  estray  pounds  in  each  precinct. 

The  Militia  of  the  Territory  consists  of  the  able-bodied  men  between  the 
ages  of  eighteen  and  forty-five,  organized  into  a  military  body  known  as 
the  "Nauvoo  Legion,"  commanded  by  a  Lieutenant-General.  The  Legion 
is  divided  into  military  districts,  each  district  having  a  commander  whose 
rank  is  determined  by  the  number  of  men  in  his  district.  A  company 


ANSWERS  TO   QUESTIONS.  49 


consists  of  not  less  than  sixty  men,  rank  and  file,  a  battalion  one  hundred 
and  twenty  men,  a  regiment  six  hundred,  a  brigade  twelve  hundred  and 
a  division  two  or  more  brigades. 

The  reports  of  the  Adjutant-General  for  1867  show  12,024  men,  armed 
and  equipped  according  to  law.  A  great  number  of  the  newly-arrived  im- 
migrants being  without  arms,  are  not  enrolled. 

The  field  officers  are,  one  Lieutenant-General,  two  Major-Generals,  nine 
Brigadier-Generals,  twenty-five  Colonels,  one  hundred  and  twelve  Majors 
with  their  necessary  respective  staff  officers. 

One-fifth  of  the  militia  is  cavalry.  There  are  a  few  companies  of  artil- 
lery. The  infantry  and  cavalry  have  modern  improved  arms. 

In  consequence  of  the  delay  which  has  taken  place  in  the  publication 
of  this  pamphlet,  the  opportunity  is  afforded  of  appending  a  few  miscel- 
laneous items : 

Elder  Ezra  T.  Benson,  one  of  the  Twelve  Apostles,  died  suddenly  at 
Ogden,  September  3d. 

The  Utah  Central  Railroad  Company  was  organized  under  a  general 
Act  of  Incorporation,  passed  at  the  last  session  of  the  Legislative  Assem- 
bly. The  ground  was  broken  by  Brigham  Young,  President  of  the  Com- 
pany, at  Ogden,  in  May,  1869,  connecting  Salt  Lake  City  with  Ogden ; 
— distance  about  forty  miles.  The  track-laying  commenced  September 
23d,  and  it  is  anticipated  that  the  Road  will  be  completed  early  in 
December ;  the  probable  cost  will  be  $1,500,000.  A  railroad  bridge  has  been 
constructed  across  the  Weber  river.  The  road  has  been  graded  princi- 
pally by  the  inhabitants  along  the  route. 

The  annual  catalogue  of  the  Deseret  University  for  the  academical  year 
1868-9,  issued  lately,  shows  223  students  in  attendance.  The  principal 
efforts  of  the  institution  have  been  directed  towards  qualifying  students  to 
become  teachers. 

The  Book  of  Mormon  has  been  published  in  the  Deseret  character. 

Union  stores  have  been  formed  in  nearly  all  the  districts  in  the  Terri- 
tory. The  capital  used  in  conducting  these  has  been  subscribed  in  small 
shares  by  the  masses,  enabling  the  people  to  obtain  their  merchandise  at 
low  rates, thereby  relieving  the  capital  heretofore  employed  in  this  branch  of 
business,  which  is  now  being  diverted  to  other  channels  of  usefulness  by 
enlarging  the  manufacturing  interests.  The  wholesale  importation  of 
goods  is  done  by  a  co-operative  institution. 

The  immigration  of  the  present  season  by  Railroad  up  to  date,  (Oct.  1,) 
is  estimated  at  three  thousand  souls. 

The  crops  have  been  excellent  throughout  the  Territory,  except  in  the 
counties  of  Cache,  Washington,  Kane  and  Iron,  where  the  grasshoppers 
have  destroyed  the  most  of  Jie  cereal  crops ;  in  Washington  and  Kane 
the  cotton  crop  is  materially  lessened  by  the  same  cause. 

During  this  season  President  Brigham  Young,  his  Counselors  and  the 
Twelve  Apostles  have  visited  all  the  counties  in  the  Territory,  excepting 
three,  and  have  held  large  public  meetings  of  the  people,  which  have 
excited  unbounded  enthusiasm. 


